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$ 2.25

VISIONS
February/March 1990

Coming out as a community: creating our own herstory
byM.G.
"You may forget but let me tell you this: someone in some
future time will think ofus." - Sappho, circa 600 BC.
"Community is a strange thing which eludes us if we aim
directly at it. Instead, community comes as a by-product of
commitment and struggle. It comes when we step forward to right
some wrong, to heal some hurt, to give some service. Then we
discover each other as allies in resisting the diminishments of life.
It is found among all people who have said 'no' to tyranny with the
YES of their lives" (P.J. Palmer, A Place Called Community).
The feminist movement of the '70s cut across age, race, class,
religion and sexual preference to empower women to say "no" to
the tyranny of "isms" in their culture. As a result of their political
activisms and Lesbian visibility, we can enjoy and participate in
a broader sense of community today than was possible in earlier
times.
In this article, we feature a glimpse of the past 20 years in
Indianapolis. [We hope to collect more oral herstory as well as
written recollections from readers in other communities.] As we
move into the '90s let us pause to reflect on what has come before
us, lest we forget the significance of affirming our lives as we grow
in the new decade.
The national wave of feminism touched Indianapolis around
1968-69. A speaker from the Boston-based Bread & Roses group
served as a catalyst for women here to begin meeting to raise their
consciousness, to nurture, affirm and discuss feminist perspectives in their lives. Initially, a handful took turns meeting in each
others' homes on a monthly basis, and the monthly pitch-in
tradition was born. The focus was on consciousness-raising supporting each other in their growth as feminists. Newcomers
would be sponsored by a woman who would share her story with
the newcomer - her life history and growth as a feminist. The
newcomer would then share her story. Visions of change were
birthed and nurtured as a result of this investment in building a
sense of community based on the power of sisterhood.
Over time, their numbers grew to 20-30 women, each committed to exploring, discussing and working toward a feminist
future politically, socially and personally. This group became
known as Lavender Hill. The Lavender Hill pitch-ins included a
wide range of political views but all were feminist first and
Lesbian, straight, separatist, radical, or undecided, secondarily;
and lively discussion was the order of these eveniqgs. The pitchins continued through the late '70s and faded for a while. Two
years ago, a reunion was attended by 20 of the original Lavender
Hill women!

Visions of change were birthed
and nurtured . . . based on the
power of sisterhood.

The Indianapolis Women's Liberation organization was
formed in 1970. They published a newsletter reaching a circulation ofover 200 by the time it ceased publication in 1972. In 1970,
IWL was represented at the march in New York celebrating the
50th anniversary of women's right to vote. Locally, they organized
a Sisterhood is Powerful rally in Broad Ripple Park which was

continued on page 6

Hope for the heart
by Jean Austin
"I don't want to live! The pain is too much and goes too deep.
To relieve the pain of emotional change and reckoning, the only
thing I can do is die. Deep down I don't want to. Somebody help
me live and care again!"
An emotional breakdown is a life changing experience. There
is anger, bitterness, lack of hope for the future, and it seems that it
takes an eternity to move through feelings like this. Kind people
help ease the pain temporarily and the permanent peace of mind
and peace of the soul that comes when it is over is like being given
a second chance to live a life that is full of love.
The community of women in Indianapolis has had a profound
effect on my life. Though recently I have been away from the
friends and sister family I used to spend so much time with, the
many interpersonal interactions and the many words of support I
recalled during my illness helped me cope with seemingly impossible circumstances inmy life. I remembered the enjoyable times,
the sharing of intimate conversations, the identification I felt with
the women I knew. I thought someone could save me from going
through the pain and Ilearned that no one can. Even though we are
among so many and though there are genuine expressions of
caring among us, in the end we still have to cope and grow alone

continued on page 2

Page2

LAVENDER VISIONS

The faces of choice

February/March 1990

Hope for the heart

by Audrey Savage

continued from page 1

The faces of the people were beautiful: alive, positive,
smiling, expecting, determined; somewhere between 150,000 to
300,000 beautiful faces - faces of the young, of the old, of
families, of children, and even of dogs-all in one place, all caring
about the same thing, all reacting to the words coming over the
loud speakers. They were wonderful faces to watch as the men and
women on the platform talked of the millions of women who had
been required to have back alley abortions, many of them dead
from these same abortions. As the men and women on the platform
talked about our refusal to allow George Bush and his litmustested judges to take away our rights - women's choice about
their own bodies.
The faces at the rally were so different from the angry, hating
faces I have seen on TV and in newspapers of those people who
call themselves "pro-life." Those people who, in the name oflife,
march to clinics with the intent and purpose of interfering with
women as they go for their legal abortions. Those people who fire
bomb these same clinics in the name of life. Those people who
wave bloody flags over peaceful gatherings in the name of life.
Those people who threaten and inflame with their inaccurate
information in the name of life. Those people who want to stem
the flow of women's freedom in the name oflife ... but who don't
raise a finger for those already alive.
But the faces of choice that I saw in Washington are the faces
oflife. It was "caring" I saw when I looked at them. To begin with
they cared enough about freedom, everyone's freedom, to come
thousands of miles to Washington to preserve women's right to
their own bodies. They cared enough about what the speakers
were saying to listen respectfully and to cheer at meaningful
moments. And I suspect, from that caring, that they would also
care about the homeless, the uneducated, the hungry, the victims
of abuse, the lonely, and the many other offsprings of our society
that produce children because we are "supposed" to, rather than
because we "want" to.
I don't know about you, but it's the faces I saw in Washington
on November 12, 1989- the faces of choice- that I want in my
future ... not those hating faces I see destroying abortion clinics,
and protesting women's rights to choose ... faces that call themselves "pro-life." Which faces do you want in your future?

- there is a part of us that is always alone. We can often touch
that part of ourselves or of another for a moment in the act of
physical intimacy or in the act of a purposeful intimate conversation. For those precious moments, we do not feel alone and we
truly do touch our own souls and the soul of the other human being.
We cannot sustain this feeling, but we look for the experience over
and over again.
This. touching is what relieves the pain of the emotional
breaking apart of the heart. This touching is what this community
of women has meant to me. Though I have found that many of my
values are different from the women I have known, there is still a
love between us that many do not understand and many others
envy. Though we disagree with one another, we still give out
respect for the differences we have. My years with the Indianapolis community of women have helped me become a more independent person, and have given me strength to cope with problems
in my life that I never dreamed I would have. I thought it was
impossible to make it out of my depressions a year ago, but I am
recovering and getting better as each day passes. I am not ashamed
of my illness. I have changed and grown because of it. Maybe I
have something to give back to my community now. As time goes
on I will discover what that giving can be. Though none of you
were with me during my dark years, you were there in spirit and
I feel wonderful for having known the kind of people you are.

~
VISIONS
Statement of Purpose
Lavender Visions is
for me and for you,
for all Lesbians,
for us to connect within
our larger community
so that together we may increase
our respect and support
for each other and ourselves,
affirming, celebrating and
honoring the women we are.

Published bi-monthly by Solstice Seed. Mailing address: Lavender
Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077. The opinions
expressed in Lavender Visions do not necessarily reflect the views
of the publishers and editors.
Publishers ............ Mary Gaul (M.G.), Nancy VanArsdall Jones
Managing Editor .............................................. Candace Shearls
Editors .................................................. D.J. Gridley, Pat Jordan
Staff ............................................ Joan Townsend, Deb Mullins
Mail Subscriptions
Subscriptions are available at $8-12 a year. Advertising rates
available on request. Send address corrections to address above.

February/March 1990

LAVENDER VISIONS

Page3

Resources
Indianapolis (317)
AIDS Hotline: 257-HOPE, answered 7-11 PM, every evening.
AIDS: Living the Journey Together: a family therapy group for
persons with AIDS and a care partner, parent, sibling, lover,
friend. Sponsored by Courageous Living Counseling Services, located in Westview Hospital Professional Bldg., 9250043.
Catholic Lesbian Support Group; open to all Catholic and nonCatholic Lesbians who want to explore their Christian faith
within the context of their sexuality; 925-6866 (Martha) or
357-7964 (Carol).
Dignity meets at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 46th & Illinois,
Sundays at 6 PM; P.O. Box 431, Indianapolis, IN 46202; 9246578 (Drew).
Feminist Writers; 5138 E. North St., Indianapolis, IN 46219;
357-7964 (Carol).
Friends for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (Quaker); 356-8646
(Diane or Perri).
Gay AA meets at Bethlehem Lutheran, Sundays at 7 PM; 6327864.
Gay/Lesbian Switchboard: 253-GA YS (7 - 11 PM).
Gay and Lesbian Codependents Anonymous meets at Winona
Hospital, 3232 N. Meridian St.; 925-1135 (Don), 636-4986
(Joe), 297-0386 (Pam).
Gay Parents Coalition of Indianapolis meets at Holy Eucharist
Church, 38th & Illinois, 2nd Sunday of each month at 7:30
PM; 253-2280 (John)
Indianapolis Youth Group for Lesbian and gay youth ages 23
and under meets bi-weekly. For more information call
Lesbian/Gay Switchboard at 253-GAYS and ask for the
organization's contact person.
Indianapolis NOW meets at Planned Parenthood, 3219 N. Meridian, 2nd Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM; 925-4641.
Indianapolis Pitch-In: Our monthly pitch-in dinners provide
social and networking opportunities for all Lesbians. Generally, the pitch-in is scheduled for the second Friday of each
month, beginning at 7 PM. The location (and directions, if
necessary) usually is available at Dreams and Swords at least
a week before each pitch-in.
Integrity meets at All Saints Church, 16th and Central, Mondays
at 6:30 PM; 635-3744.
Justice, Inc.: Lesbian resource for issues regarding state laws,
community/police relations, civil rights, Lesbian/Gay conferences, other special events. 1534 E. 10th St., Indianapolis,
IN 46201, 634-9212.
Lesbian Discussion Group: 2nd and 4th Thursday of each
month, 7 - 8:30 PM, at 6356 N. Guilford; 577-2245 {Lori).
Lesbian Incest Survivors Therapy Group. Contact Linda
Gensheimer, (219) 426-5778 (Fort Wayne).
Older Women's Network for Women Over 40 meets at 7707
Lancer Lane, 3rd Tuesday of each month; 547-7702 (Sharon
or Carol) or Dreams & Swords.

Our Parents Aren't Straight (for children of Lesbians and
Gays), 3rd Tuesday of each month. No age limits. Parents
can/will meet in different room for discussions; 353-6636
(Debbie or Vicki), 881-0786 (Donna, Ruth, or Judy).
Overeaters Anonymous (for men and women) meets at Dreams
and Swords, 828 E. 64th Street, Fridays at 6:30 PM, 2539966.
P-FLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) meets at
Butler University in Atherton Center, Room 312, 2nd Sunday
of each month at 2:00 PM; 251-9307 (Donna).
University Gay/Lesbian Alliance meets at 3754 N. Illinois St.
(Lambda Center). Call 274-2585.
Women's Open Network: 274-5041 or 274-2585 (Sue Moenius).
Womenspired: 274-5041 or 274-2585 (Sue Moenius).
Bloomington (812)
Bloomington Switchboard: 336-4299.
Gay/Lesbian Alliance: 332-1847.
SPARKS: a social/educational forum for Lesbians. Contact
Marcia, 334-0414, or Carolyn, 339-4283.
Columbus <812}
Pitch-In: for information, call 376-0784.
Switchboard Concern: 293-8671 (24 hours).
Evansville (812)
Tri-State Alliance Meeting meets at Unitarian Universalist
Church, 856 So. Kentucky Ave., 4th Sunday of each month.
Fort Wayne (219)
Dignity/Fort Wayne, P.O. Box 12151, 46862.
Drop-In meets at Up the Stairs Community Center, 3426 Broadway, Fridays at 7:30 PM
Fort Wayne Women's Bureau: 303 E. Washington Blvd., 4247977. Peer Counseling: 9 AM - 2 PM, 426-0023. Rape
Awareness Program Hotline: 426-RAPE.
Liberty (812)
The Pearl: Feminist resource/journal. Contact: Natalie Isaac,
editor, 304 South Fairground, Liberty, IN 47353.
Mishawaka (219)
Open Arms: MonthlynewsletterforMichianaLesbians. Contact:
P.O. Box 845, Mishawaka, IN 46544. Yearly subscription:
$10.00; sample copy: $ 1.00. Make check payable to Roberta
Miller.
Muncie (317)
Ball State Gay/Lesbian Alliance, P.O. Box 354, Pittenger Student Center, 47907; 743-6675.

South Bend (219)
Help Line: 232-2522 (9 AM - 5 PM).
Hot Line: 232-3344 (24 Hours).
IUSBU Womyn's Center: 929 Greenlawn, 237-4494.
Monthly Lesbian Potluck and weekly Lesbian support group;
291-3720.

Page4

LAVENDER VISIONS

February/March 1990

Foremother brings feminism, self back home
Having left the Interstate some 45 minutes before, it seemed
like a trip back in time, as I drove through the valleys and around
the hills of southern Indiana. It had been a long time since I'd been
so far away from congested city life and, in spite of the challenges
the icy roads presented, I was thoroughly enjoying this adventure
- savoring the beauty of the countryside sprinkled with tidy
farmhouses, enjoying the simplicity of the villages with their
Amish carriages, their horses patiently awaiting the drivers, and
most of all anticipating seeing my friend of many years ...
remembering.
"Follow US 52 through Metamora and on into Brookville. At
the junction of 101 and 1, take a left," she'd said. "Stay on 1 up
the hill to the Y, past the County Farm Bureau Coop and take a
right on Oxford Pike and then a left about half a mile onto
Whitcomb Road. Come on up Bonwell Hill, past the stone house
my Great Grandfather Bonwell built, and about 6 miles down the
road, next to the Methodist Church is my house - white with
green shutters- last house in town."
As I pulled into the drive, I noticed the walk to the back door
had been cleared of snow. "Of course," I remembered," you
always use the back door in the country." So following both the
cleared path and the sound of Celtic music, I found my old friend
Joyce, waiting at the door.
Having been greeted by her so many times in her other homes
~~~~~~~~~~~~ - apartment in Indianapolis, Hygeia's Grove on PosWE ARE
sum Trot Road, her hideaway in Nashville, and yes,
EVERYWHERE
The Woman's Touch - I
l.:.iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;;;;;;,,I instantly knew, as I entered
her kitchen, that this was
home, really home for Joyce.
As she showed me through her old/new home, I was struck by
how "Joyce" this place was. "Country Victorian," she aptly calls
it: a blend of the antique and the modem. We laughed as, moving
from room to room, the floors dipped. Asshepointedoutthemany
improvements she'd made on this 100+ year-old house, she also
reminisced: "The wallpaper in this bedroom was here when I was
a child, and this space, now my study, was my bedroom when I was
a little girl." For the house was, in fact, Joyce's home for the first
10 years of her life, as it had been home for her mother, her
grandmother and her great-grandmother, who had purchased it (as
an unmarried woman!) in 1909.
"When Great AuntJosephine died in 1987, the house went on
the market, and it simply wasn't a possibility for me to buy the
house. So for the first time through four generations, the house
became the property of someone outside the family."
Yet, less than 2 years later, on a visit to her parents in nearby
Brookville, Joyce decided to drive out to the "old place." And,
incredibly, there was a "For Sale" sign in front. Immediately, she
knew the place was to be hers; it was right to return home. "You
know, I could've married and if I'd never left Brookville, I
probably would've married. But, I know I had to leave in order to

*

*

Home of four generations of women.
experience all that I have ... and in order to come back here," she
says.
"I am first a woman, then a feminist," says Joyce. "I became
a card-carrying NOW [National Organization for Women] member in 1970- before I even knew I was a Lesbian." And while
Joyce believes reclaiming our ancient history is important, it is
also important for us to remember that things were not always as
they are now. Many of us had to make many sacrifices.
NOW was intriguing to Joyce since they talked about equal
rights. "I was brought up believing I was equal. I was a tom-boy
all my life. I did the same things all the boys did around hereusually better-and it was a shock to be told (in 1955) by my high
school counselor that I wasn't smart enough to be a doctor. I
always wanted to be a doctor, but back then women didn't go to
Med. school; my only option was to be a teacher or a nurse.
"So for the first time, I realized that just because I was a
woman, I couldn't do some things. I was told I wasn't as smart as
the boys and I went for years believing I wasn't smart. So when
I heard about NOW, I thought, that sounds like something I
believe," she smiles. "I do believe I'm equal."
By 1973, Joyce had met Jeanine Rae who was quite politically
active. So, for the first time, she had someone with whom she
could discuss her beliefs. "Jeanine opened my eyes to politics, and
yes, she was a role-model for me."
Through the summer of 1976, Joyce and Jeanine began
researching women's counseling centers and bookstores around
the country, and, miraculously, and with enormous commitment
and energy, on October 1, the Woman's Touch, Inc. opened its
doors.
"It was a very special time," Joyce says. "It was the right time;
circumstances were justrightand the events evolving in the whole
country [i.e. attempted passage of the Equal Rights Amendment]
were right. I like to think of that time in history as the Feminist
Camelot period."

continued on page B

February/March 1990

Page 5

LAVENDER VISIONS

THE SUPPORTERS' PAGE
To advertise here, please use the Order Form on the back page or contact us at Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville IN 46077

317/253--9966

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Indianapolis, Indiana 46220

(317) 253-5160

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Page6

LAVENDER VISIONS

Community
continued from page 1

attended by Sen.ator Birch Bayh, and they held two state-wide
conferences to address feminist issues.
A large house owned by an IWL memberon Broadway served
as the first women's center here. Women ran a cooperative daycare center on the main floor, and rooms were rented upstairs to
provide some maintenance income. Scores of support groups,
consciousness-raising groups, and political strategizing meetings
were conducted here. IWL carried out various political actions,
such as leafletting a "bridal fair" to protest sexism; picketing at
Glendale Mall following a rape in the parking lot which did result
in management hiring security for the Mall; they conducted a
"mill-in" at a men-only establishment; leafletted to free Joann
Little and continually worked to raise public awareness of and
outrage at violence against women. IWL members also provided
abortion counseling and arranged transportation to New York
where legal abortions were available. A smaller group of radical
feminists, known as the Angela Davis Brigade, formed to seek
ways of integrating their feminism with more radical political
actions.
In 1972, the first National Organization for Women chapter
was formed in Indianapolis and grew from the political heritage of
IWL. The women's community rallied to support the Equal
Rights Amendment campaign through 1982. In 1973, the local
NOW chapter conducted a successful campaign on the television
stations to get more women before the camera. As a result of their
work, Jane Pauley became anchorwoman on the TV news! She
has gratefully acknowledged these efforts publicly.
A women's rugby team was active from '74-'77, and, of
course, women's softballcontinued to thrive. In Octoberof 1976,
The Woman's Touch, our first feminist bookstore and counseling
center opened and thrived until July, 1980. Womanshine Theatre
was born here, women's spirituality groups were birthed and
nurtured here, and NOW conducted meetings and trainings to
wage the war against discrimination against women here.
In the fall of '77, the first women's concert was held at the
YWCA and featured Casse Culver. Two additional concerts, in
1978, featuring Kristen Lems and the Izquierda Ensemble raised
more funds for the first feminist bar in Indianapolis, our beloved
Labyris. The first New Year's Eve Concert and Dance was held
December 31, 1978 at Cathedral High School and featured Teresa
Trull, Therese Edell and Betsy Lippett. We celebrated the purchase of space for a feminist bar that night and for the next three
months, women worked tirelessly renovating the space which
opened in March, 1979.
The Lab was a unique bar/gathering place that provided a
congenial, safe space for many different women. During the five
years of her existence, we enjoyed 156 concerts/events produced
there. Over 40 different performers graced her stage, the names of
which reflect the herstory of women's music and culture- both
nationally and locally. In 1981, Indy's first Take-Back-The-Night
Rally was held at Labyris and continued through the next three
years. Womenposted"MayoralDecrees",printedontheMayor's

February/March 1990

stationery, stating that all men were "prohibited from being on the
streets after dark until the crime of rape is eliminated." This action
resulted in a deluge of phone calls to the media by the concerned
public. The hesbian Discussion Group began at the Lab and
continues to thrive, expanding to twice-monthly meetings in 1989.
In addition to the euchre and pool tournaments, the Women's
Reviews were enjoyed by many.
In the mid- '70s, two groups worked for Lesbian/Gay rights:
the Coalition for Human Rights and the Gay People's Union.
These groups were instrumental in organizing the first state-wide
Gay/Lesbian Conference at the YWCA which was picketed by
fundamentalist groups. In 1977 these groups, along with state
NOW chapters, marched on the Coliseum to protest the views of
Anita Bryant as she appeared there. In 1981, Justice, Inc. was
formed to carry on the political work of these groups.
In addition the "The Touch" and the IWL center, two other
women's centers have been established here. Everywoman's
Center was opened in the mid- '70s to provide supportive services
forwomenandashelterforbatteredwomen. Thiseffortwasshortlived due to lack of funding. The Womankind/Womanspace
Center was open from July, 1981 to March, 1983. The Feminist
Writer's Guild was organized here and various workshops for
women were offered from home-repair to financial planning.
Womankind was a feminist newspaper that published from about
1978 through 1982. / Know You Know, an international monthly
magazine for Lesbians was published in Indianapolis from December, 1984 through December, 1985.
The monthly pitch-ins were revived in September, 1980 and
35 women attended; in October, 50 women attended and they have
continued monthly since then. In September, 1981, Dreams and
Swords, feminist family bookstore, opened in a small room in the
Womankind/Womanspace Center. (Between the closing of The
Touch and the opening of Dreams & Swords, a handful of women
carried crates of books to Labyris on weekends and all events in
order to make women's literature available to the comm unity.) In
March, 1983, Dreams & Swords moved to her current home in
Broad Ripple.
A Lesbian mother's support group met monthly during the
mid- '80s. Lesbians who were not mothers provided child-care in
order to allow moms to be together without the distraction of their
children.
In 1982, the National Women's Music Festival moved to
Bloomington from Champaign, Illinois. Since then we have
continued to organize fund-raising events - auctions, concerts
and dances- to support WIA/NWMF. Branching Out Productions was formed in 1983 and continues to promote women's
culture in music. In the fall of '88, Something's Brewing, a
monthly coffeehouse was inaugurated, and in April of '89,
Lavender Visions came into being!
A glance at the Resources and Bulletin Board sections of L V
reveals our growth as a community- providing support for our
varied needs and interests ... and it all began with a few women
opening up to each other, wanting to right some wrongs, heal some
hurts, and willing to give some service. I hope we think of all of
them and honor the feminist spirit of their efforts as we continue
to create our herstory in the new decade.

February/March 1990

Page 7

LAVENDER VISIONS

THE SUPPORTERS' PAGE
To advertise here, please use the Order Form on the back page or contact us at Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville IN 46077

0Cw4!'.~~

93 south butler ave., suite 3
indianapolis, IN 46219
317/356-4914

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Hours: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday- Friday
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Indianapolis, IN 46220
(317) 255-9907

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222 E. MARKET ST.
CITY MARKET

SUE WAGMAN

317-251-9992

.._____ $5 Discount on Float Session! Expires 4/10/90 __,.,

'

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Hm. '.)17-283-6607
Wk. '.)17-251-9992

INDIANAPOLIS. IN 46204

(3 17) 636•5533

I

Specializing in Personal Computers for Business
Selection• Installation• Training• Desktop Publishing

Candace L. Shearls
Computer Consultant

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Books and

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Mary Gaul, Ed. D.
Individual, Couple & Family Counseling

NBCC Certified

6360 Guilford
Indianapolis, IN 46220

Page8

LAVENDER VISIONS

February/March 1990

Foremother
continued from page 4

The Woman's Touch was a feminist counseling center and
bookstore that was the hub of the Lesbian feminist community
from 1976-1980. As with all significant gains in history, the
sacrifices were many. Burdened by more care-taking skills than
business acumen, the Woman's Touch sadly closed in July, 1980.
Yet during those four years, "The Touch" was midwife to many
events and organizations - many of which continue to thrive
today. Womanshine Productions and the Gay/Lesbian AA were
born; a woman's newspaper, plays, concerts, women's shelters,
Sister celebration, discussion groups and NOW - all enjoyed
supportandnurturance at The Touch. Feminist therapists received
training and guidance in ways that were unavailable anywhere
else.
And when Joyce's primary partnerof more than 10 years died
prematurely of cancer in 1984, Joyce grieved the double loss of
both Jeanine and The Touch profoundly - as did the entire
Lesbian community.
Joyce is politically a Lesbian. Isolated from the Lesbian
community, she still considers herself woman-identified. She
nurtures herself as a woman by being around other women, talking
to women, being political in the Women's Movement, marching,
writing to congress people, and enjoying other women and their
accomplishments.
Today,Joyce,asnurse/educatorworkingwiththeelderly,and
training nursing-home staff, integrates her political views gently
and subtly in this rural conservative community, by planting seeds
of understanding regarding AIDS and relating pro-choice to our

Living green:
10 Things You Can Do
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Mend and repair, rather than discard and replace.
Invest in well-made, functional clothing.
Buy bulk & unpackaged rather than packaged goods.
Purchase goods in reusable or recyclable containers.
Buy organic, pesticide-free foods.
Buy foods without additives and preservatives.
Use non-toxic pest control.
Compost your food scraps.
Grow your own food (even small kitchen gardens!).
Volunteer to start or help with a community garden.

[Editor's Note: For the next several issues, we will be publishing
ways you can live your ecofeminist values.]

right to die with dignity and to choose what will happen to our
bodies regarding chemotherapy. In this "pro-life" Catholic,
Pentecostal southern Indiana community, Joyce has an opportunity to introduce ideas that many of these folks have never
considered. "I do things in ways that hopefully plant seeds of
knowledge about what life is, what it is to be an individual with
choice and freedom, and that has to do with Lesbianism, with
feminism and pro-choice."
So at 52, Joyce has chosen to come home to her birth home
which provides her not only a vehicle for her work at this time in
her life, but a sense of rootedness and community as well.
As Joyce looks toward the future, she passionately hopes for
passage of the Equal Rights Amendment and the election of a
woman president, while at the same time she worries about
aloneness. What will happen when she's 70 and no longer as
mobile? Will anyone remember this foremother of ours, this
woman who was a founding Board Member of the National
Women's Music Festival?
Sadly, the time had come for me to head up the road.
Reluctantly, Ileft that warm sunny kitchen and I wondered, "How
many women, through the years, have sat in that very kitchen,
drinking coffee together, sharing their stories, dreaming dreams of
equality and remembering?" For Joyce-our own foremotheris indeed living her life uniquely, integrating the strength of those
many strong women in her own herstory and quietly working to
challenge and improve ours.

We invite your creativity!
Lavender Visions invites your participation in the form of
letters, articles, poetry, cartoons, or photography. All material
must be signed; names will be withheld upon request.
All material becomes the property ofLavender Visions and
will be returned only if accompanied by a self-addressed,
stamped envelope. Editors reserve the right to edit for
publication.
The April/May issue will focus on community, in addition
to our regular features.
Send submissions to P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077;
all material must be received 6 weeks before publication.

February/March 1990

Page9

LAVENDER VISIONS

Bulletin Board
Women in the Arts Presents (fund-raising for NWMF):
Women's Dance, Saturday, February 24, 9 PM - 1 AM,
Saengor Chor, 13th & Park. Tickets $4.

Spaghetti Dinner & Dance, Saturday, March 24, Saengor
Chor, 13th & Park. Tickets $9.
Art Exhibit and Sale featuring women artists of Indiana,
Saturday and Sunday, April 21-22, wine and cheese
reception; location to be announced.
Karen Beth in Concert, Friday, April 27, Bloomington.
For information call Carolyn VandeWiele (812) 3394283.
Karen Beth in Concert, Saturday, April 28, Indianapolis.
For information call Mary Byrne (317) 923-5574.
Deb Mullins in Concert, Saturday, May 5, Indianapolis.
For information call Mary Byrne (317) 923-5574.

[For more information about any of the above events, call
Mary Byrne (317) 923-5574.]

"Something's Brewing": "Something's Brewing" Women's
Coffeehouse meets the first Saturday of each month at 7:30
PMat615West43rdStreet(UnitarianUniversalistChurch).
For information about programs, cost and schedule changes,
call (317) 274-2585.
National Women's Music Festival (NWMF), Thursday- Sunday, May 31 - June 3, Bloomington, IN. Here are some of the
featured performers, speakers, writers: May Sarton, Minnie
Brua Pratt, Karla Jay, Kay Leigh Hagan, Rachel Bagby,
Shekinah Mountainwater, Arisika, Nan Brooks & Jane
Winslow, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Adrian Torf, Ferron, Holly
Near, Heather Bishop, Linda Tillery, and Deidre McCalla.
Don't miss it- save some vacation days for these dates!

Please send information about upcoming events for
publication in Bulletin Board to:
Lavender Visions, PO Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077.

THE SUPPORTERS' PAGE
Shipp Construction Company
Mariel Burch, M.S.W.
Clinical Social Worker -

Therapist

3508-A Stellhorn Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46815

Specializing in ...
• Storm Windows, Storm Doors
• Replacement Windows and Doors
• Installation of Siding

Special discount for "family" members
(219) 486-2258

(317)254-9126

Sharon Chrust

MASSAGE
by appointment
Carol Simmons

(317) 252-2404

(317) 252-9285

COUNSELING
Individuals, Couples, Groups, Adolescents

252-9285

Specializing in
Codependency, Self-esteem, and
Sexual & Gender Identity Issues

Page 10

LAVENDER VISIONS

February/March 1990

THE LAVENDER PAGE
To be listed here, please use the Order Form on the back page or contact us at: Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077

ADVERTISING

ENTERTAINMENT

Accent Advertising Co., Inc., 5420 East St. Clair St.,
Indianapolis, IN 46219 ................................ (317) 357-6530

Jane Winslow, Singer/Songwriter/Workshop Presenter,
3416 Brookline Ave. #2, Cincinnati, OH 45220 ................ ..
............................................................... (513) 281-2944

BOOKSTORES/MEDIA
Aquarius Books for a Feminist Future, 116 N. Grant St.,
Bloomington, IN 47402 ............................. (812) 336-0988
Awakening, 6358 N. Guilford Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46220
............................................................... (317) 255-9907
Dreams and Swords., Inc., 828 E 64th St., Indianapolis,
IN 46220 ................................................. (317) 253-9966

CHIROPRACTORS
Pyramid Chiropractic, Peg VanDenburgh, DC, 8648
Purdue Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46268 .............. (317) 876-0887

CONSTRUCTION/HOME IMPROVEMENT
Janco Lock Service, Certified, bonded, insured .............. .
............................................................... (317) 291-1818
Anne Shellabarger, Mooresville, IN ........ (317) 996-2115
Shipp Construction Co . ..... (317) 254-9126 or 252-2404
Sunshine Services ................................ (317) 353-6636

COUNSELING/PERSONAL GROWTH
Courageous Living, Tim Davis, MS, Nancy O'Hara, MS,
CAD AC ................................................... (317) 925-0043

FLORISTS
Flowers Unlimited, 222 E. Market St., Indianapolis, IN
46204 ..................................................... (317) 636-5533
Town and Country Florist of Carmel, 2182 E. 116th
St., Keystone Square Mall, Carmel, IN ......... (317) 846-4221

JEWELLERS
The Brass Ring, Custom jewellers, gold-silversmiths and
lapidaries, Antique Alley, Nashville IN .......... (812) 988-2729

MASSAGE/RELAXATION THERAPY
Freda Neal, Alternatives for Health, 1217 Washington St.,
Columbus, IN .......................................... (812) 376-9194
Serenity Tank Center, 2070 E. 54th St., Suite 2,
Indianapolis, IN 46220 ............................... (317) 251-9992
Maryann Steinhart, 6407 N. Michigan Road, Indianapolis,
IN 46268 ................................................. (317) 257-2350
Sue Wagman, Certified Massage Practitioner, ................. ..
.................................. (317) 283-6607 (H) or 251-9992 (W)
Kay Whitehead, BA, MsT ....................... (317) 924-4557

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Micky Craney, 93 S. Butler Ave., Suite 3, Indianapolis, IN
46219 ..................................................... (317) 356-4914

Mary A. Byrne, Realtor, 1202 N. Pennsylvania,
Indianapolis, IN 46202 .............. (317) 638-1020 or 923-5574

Farrell/Shaw Associates ...................... (317) 283-3623

Haynes Bookkeeping, Tax service specializing in small
business and S-corporations ......................... (317) 293-3190

Mary Gaul, Ed.D., 6360 Guilford, Indianapolis, IN 46220 ...
............................................................... (317) 253-5160

Clara Ann Merkel, French lace making .... (317) 924-4557

Nancy VanArsdall Jones, MA, 6360 Guilford Ave.,
Indianapolis, IN ........................................ (317) 253-5160

Candace L. Shear ls, Computer Consultant ................... .
............................................................... (317) 255-8328

Pat Jordan, MS ....................................... (317) 257-2350

Union Ceremonies and relationship celebrations for Gay
and Lesbian couples. Debra Harless, MDiv .... (317) 924-2028

Margaret Miholick, ACSW ................... (317) 257-8590
June Thompson, ACSW, CADAC ........... (317) 251-7051

ROOMS FOR RENT
Rooms for rent in homes of Lesbians and Gays in
Indianapolis .............................................. (317) 925-0043

i

1

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M 001 111 583

Univl]f

February/March 1990

Pride Week plans underway
"Into the Gay '90s with Pride" will be the theme oflndiana's
1990 Gay/Lesbian Pride Week. With that theme, we will be
showing our pride in public with a Pride Festival on Monument
Circle in Indianapolis.
During the Festival, the Circle will be closed to traffic and we
will fill the center of downtown with organizational and information booths from throughout the state, and with food and beverage
booths. There will be local and national entertainers as well as
local and national speakers to address the crowd.
This type of event will continue the friendly atmosphere of the
picnics held in previous years as well as provide an opportunity for
Gays and Lesbians to increase their political and community
awareness and visibility. Having the event on the Circle will
provide both an educational and enjoyable atmosphere for the
Indianapolis community at large to enjoy the speakers and entertainers.
The Pride Week Committee is now forming. The Committee
will divided into five sub-groups: Logistics, Booths, Entertainment, Publicity, and Financial. Each sub-group will meet regularly to accomplish their tasks and limit the number of large
Committee meetings that will be needed. There are also many
tasks for individuals who do not live in Indianapolis.
[Please contact Ruth Peters for further information: Home: (317)
253-1460; Work: (317) 635-4059.]

Lavender Visions Survey

Page 11

24-hour Hot Line
for
Pro-Choice Action Update
Daily update on Indiana
legislative process regarding
abortion rights. Call to be
informed, to know what you
can do to support a woman's
right to choose control of her
own body.

(317) 283-7131

Bestsellers at Dreams & Swords
fk.wm

Lesbian/Gay

Fried Green Tomatoes
Beverly Malibu
Bingo
Patience & Sarah
Fur Person

Pleasures
Lesbian Bedtime Stories
Lesbian Love Stories
Lesbian Couples
Color of Light: AIDS Meds.

Recovery

We 're sure you've noticed the L VS urvey included in this issue.
Please take the time to respond - we'd love to hear from you.

Courage to Heal
You Can Heal Your Life
Dance of Anger
Victims No Longer
Dance of Intimacy

Thank you,
LV Staff

INFORMATION FORM
I'm excited about Lavender Visions and I'd like to help by:
_ _ selling ads
_ _ writing stories
helping with distribution and sales
Name

---------------------

FEB/MAR 1990

_ _ collating
typing copy
_ _ doing whatever is needed
Day Phone _ _ __

Night Phone _ _ __

Address ___________________ Best times to call: ____________
City ____________________

State _ _ _ _ __ ZIP _ _ _ _ _ _ __

I'd like to see a story about
Send to: Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077.

Page 12

LAVENDER VISIONS

February/March 1990

Darin's Diary
• I had just finished one of those days - nothing had gone
well and my mood reflected my frustration and anger. When I got
home, I discovered my copy of LV had arrived. I sat right down,
without even taldng off my coat, and read it from cover to cover.
It brightened my mood and made my evening so much nicer than
my day.

• As a member of the LV staff, I thought it might be exciting
to pass on to you that we now have over 300 subscribers! We're
so pleased to be reaching so many people. Thank you!

• My sister and I were discussing a mutual friend's recent
breakup with his girlfriend. She asked me, "What did he see in
her? If you were a man, would you see anything in her?" My
answer was, "Well, personal! y, she doesn't interest me, but other
women may find her attractive." We both laughed- how nice it

[Editor's Note: Dorin's Diary is a compilation of descriptions
(provided by our readers) identifying experiences of affirmation,
celebration, consciousness-raising, connection with, and nurturance from other women/Lesbians in the local/global community. SendcontributionstoDorin'sDiary,c/oLavenderVisions.]

is to reference my own sexuality in a casual manner with someone
I love so dearly.

SUBSCRIPTION/ORDER FORM
I want to

FEB/MAR 1990

order a subscription ($8-12, sliding scale) _ _ place a business card ad ($30)
_ _ place a supporter ad ($30 or more)
be listed on the Lavender Page ($5)

Send subscription to: Name _______________________________
Address
Phone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
City _____________________ State _ _ _ _ _ _ ZIP _ _ _ _ __
NOTE:

If you are placing a business card ad, please enclose your card (print ready).
If you are placing a supporter ad, please indicate specific words of support.
If you are placing a Lavender Page listing, please provide listing information.
Make checks payable to Lavender Visions. Send to: Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077.

~

VISIONS

Survey

Lavender Visions would like your opinions, comments, and suggestions. We'd also like to know you better to serve you better. We
would greatly appreciate it if you would take a few moments to fill out this survey and mail it to Lavender Visions. Thank you!
Are you currently a subscriber to Lavender Visions? Yes _ _ No
Where do you live? State _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

County _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

What is your occupation? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Which of these issues are of interest to you? (check all that apply)
Women's Rights
Spirituality and Peacemaking
Lesbian Rights
Ecofeminism
Abortion
Codependency
Legal Issues - Wills, etc.
Recovery
Homophobia
Self-Help
Other------------------------------------Please describe any specific topics that may interest you to be covered in Lavender Visions. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Indicate which of our articles and features you read regularly. (check all that apply)
Lead Article or Stories
Articles by or about Artists, Writers, etc.
Reviews of Books, Plays, Productions, etc.
We Are Everywhere
Do you use the services of any of our advertisers? Yes__

Dorin' s Diary
Resources
Bulletin Board

No

Have you used the Lavender Visions' advertisers as a reference when looking for a particular service? Yes__ No
Comments or Suggestions: ____________________________________

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$ 2.25

VISIONS
February/March 1990

Coming out as a community: creating our own herstory
byM.G.
"You may forget but let me tell you this: someone in some
future time will think ofus." - Sappho, circa 600 BC.
"Community is a strange thing which eludes us if we aim
directly at it. Instead, community comes as a by-product of
commitment and struggle. It comes when we step forward to right
some wrong, to heal some hurt, to give some service. Then we
discover each other as allies in resisting the diminishments of life.
It is found among all people who have said 'no' to tyranny with the
YES of their lives" (P.J. Palmer, A Place Called Community).
The feminist movement of the '70s cut across age, race, class,
religion and sexual preference to empower women to say "no" to
the tyranny of "isms" in their culture. As a result of their political
activisms and Lesbian visibility, we can enjoy and participate in
a broader sense of community today than was possible in earlier
times.
In this article, we feature a glimpse of the past 20 years in
Indianapolis. [We hope to collect more oral herstory as well as
written recollections from readers in other communities.] As we
move into the '90s let us pause to reflect on what has come before
us, lest we forget the significance of affirming our lives as we grow
in the new decade.
The national wave of feminism touched Indianapolis around
1968-69. A speaker from the Boston-based Bread & Roses group
served as a catalyst for women here to begin meeting to raise their
consciousness, to nurture, affirm and discuss feminist perspectives in their lives. Initially, a handful took turns meeting in each
others' homes on a monthly basis, and the monthly pitch-in
tradition was born. The focus was on consciousness-raising supporting each other in their growth as feminists. Newcomers
would be sponsored by a woman who would share her story with
the newcomer - her life history and growth as a feminist. The
newcomer would then share her story. Visions of change were
birthed and nurtured as a result of this investment in building a
sense of community based on the power of sisterhood.
Over time, their numbers grew to 20-30 women, each committed to exploring, discussing and working toward a feminist
future politically, socially and personally. This group became
known as Lavender Hill. The Lavender Hill pitch-ins included a
wide range of political views but all were feminist first and
Lesbian, straight, separatist, radical, or undecided, secondarily;
and lively discussion was the order of these eveniqgs. The pitchins continued through the late '70s and faded for a while. Two
years ago, a reunion was attended by 20 of the original Lavender
Hill women!

Visions of change were birthed
and nurtured . . . based on the
power of sisterhood.

The Indianapolis Women's Liberation organization was
formed in 1970. They published a newsletter reaching a circulation ofover 200 by the time it ceased publication in 1972. In 1970,
IWL was represented at the march in New York celebrating the
50th anniversary of women's right to vote. Locally, they organized
a Sisterhood is Powerful rally in Broad Ripple Park which was

continued on page 6

Hope for the heart
by Jean Austin
"I don't want to live! The pain is too much and goes too deep.
To relieve the pain of emotional change and reckoning, the only
thing I can do is die. Deep down I don't want to. Somebody help
me live and care again!"
An emotional breakdown is a life changing experience. There
is anger, bitterness, lack of hope for the future, and it seems that it
takes an eternity to move through feelings like this. Kind people
help ease the pain temporarily and the permanent peace of mind
and peace of the soul that comes when it is over is like being given
a second chance to live a life that is full of love.
The community of women in Indianapolis has had a profound
effect on my life. Though recently I have been away from the
friends and sister family I used to spend so much time with, the
many interpersonal interactions and the many words of support I
recalled during my illness helped me cope with seemingly impossible circumstances inmy life. I remembered the enjoyable times,
the sharing of intimate conversations, the identification I felt with
the women I knew. I thought someone could save me from going
through the pain and Ilearned that no one can. Even though we are
among so many and though there are genuine expressions of
caring among us, in the end we still have to cope and grow alone

continued on page 2

Page2

LAVENDER VISIONS

The faces of choice

February/March 1990

Hope for the heart

by Audrey Savage

continued from page 1

The faces of the people were beautiful: alive, positive,
smiling, expecting, determined; somewhere between 150,000 to
300,000 beautiful faces - faces of the young, of the old, of
families, of children, and even of dogs-all in one place, all caring
about the same thing, all reacting to the words coming over the
loud speakers. They were wonderful faces to watch as the men and
women on the platform talked of the millions of women who had
been required to have back alley abortions, many of them dead
from these same abortions. As the men and women on the platform
talked about our refusal to allow George Bush and his litmustested judges to take away our rights - women's choice about
their own bodies.
The faces at the rally were so different from the angry, hating
faces I have seen on TV and in newspapers of those people who
call themselves "pro-life." Those people who, in the name oflife,
march to clinics with the intent and purpose of interfering with
women as they go for their legal abortions. Those people who fire
bomb these same clinics in the name of life. Those people who
wave bloody flags over peaceful gatherings in the name of life.
Those people who threaten and inflame with their inaccurate
information in the name of life. Those people who want to stem
the flow of women's freedom in the name oflife ... but who don't
raise a finger for those already alive.
But the faces of choice that I saw in Washington are the faces
oflife. It was "caring" I saw when I looked at them. To begin with
they cared enough about freedom, everyone's freedom, to come
thousands of miles to Washington to preserve women's right to
their own bodies. They cared enough about what the speakers
were saying to listen respectfully and to cheer at meaningful
moments. And I suspect, from that caring, that they would also
care about the homeless, the uneducated, the hungry, the victims
of abuse, the lonely, and the many other offsprings of our society
that produce children because we are "supposed" to, rather than
because we "want" to.
I don't know about you, but it's the faces I saw in Washington
on November 12, 1989- the faces of choice- that I want in my
future ... not those hating faces I see destroying abortion clinics,
and protesting women's rights to choose ... faces that call themselves "pro-life." Which faces do you want in your future?

- there is a part of us that is always alone. We can often touch
that part of ourselves or of another for a moment in the act of
physical intimacy or in the act of a purposeful intimate conversation. For those precious moments, we do not feel alone and we
truly do touch our own souls and the soul of the other human being.
We cannot sustain this feeling, but we look for the experience over
and over again.
This. touching is what relieves the pain of the emotional
breaking apart of the heart. This touching is what this community
of women has meant to me. Though I have found that many of my
values are different from the women I have known, there is still a
love between us that many do not understand and many others
envy. Though we disagree with one another, we still give out
respect for the differences we have. My years with the Indianapolis community of women have helped me become a more independent person, and have given me strength to cope with problems
in my life that I never dreamed I would have. I thought it was
impossible to make it out of my depressions a year ago, but I am
recovering and getting better as each day passes. I am not ashamed
of my illness. I have changed and grown because of it. Maybe I
have something to give back to my community now. As time goes
on I will discover what that giving can be. Though none of you
were with me during my dark years, you were there in spirit and
I feel wonderful for having known the kind of people you are.

~
VISIONS
Statement of Purpose
Lavender Visions is
for me and for you,
for all Lesbians,
for us to connect within
our larger community
so that together we may increase
our respect and support
for each other and ourselves,
affirming, celebrating and
honoring the women we are.

Published bi-monthly by Solstice Seed. Mailing address: Lavender
Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077. The opinions
expressed in Lavender Visions do not necessarily reflect the views
of the publishers and editors.
Publishers ............ Mary Gaul (M.G.), Nancy VanArsdall Jones
Managing Editor .............................................. Candace Shearls
Editors .................................................. D.J. Gridley, Pat Jordan
Staff ............................................ Joan Townsend, Deb Mullins
Mail Subscriptions
Subscriptions are available at $8-12 a year. Advertising rates
available on request. Send address corrections to address above.

February/March 1990

LAVENDER VISIONS

Page3

Resources
Indianapolis (317)
AIDS Hotline: 257-HOPE, answered 7-11 PM, every evening.
AIDS: Living the Journey Together: a family therapy group for
persons with AIDS and a care partner, parent, sibling, lover,
friend. Sponsored by Courageous Living Counseling Services, located in Westview Hospital Professional Bldg., 9250043.
Catholic Lesbian Support Group; open to all Catholic and nonCatholic Lesbians who want to explore their Christian faith
within the context of their sexuality; 925-6866 (Martha) or
357-7964 (Carol).
Dignity meets at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 46th & Illinois,
Sundays at 6 PM; P.O. Box 431, Indianapolis, IN 46202; 9246578 (Drew).
Feminist Writers; 5138 E. North St., Indianapolis, IN 46219;
357-7964 (Carol).
Friends for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (Quaker); 356-8646
(Diane or Perri).
Gay AA meets at Bethlehem Lutheran, Sundays at 7 PM; 6327864.
Gay/Lesbian Switchboard: 253-GA YS (7 - 11 PM).
Gay and Lesbian Codependents Anonymous meets at Winona
Hospital, 3232 N. Meridian St.; 925-1135 (Don), 636-4986
(Joe), 297-0386 (Pam).
Gay Parents Coalition of Indianapolis meets at Holy Eucharist
Church, 38th & Illinois, 2nd Sunday of each month at 7:30
PM; 253-2280 (John)
Indianapolis Youth Group for Lesbian and gay youth ages 23
and under meets bi-weekly. For more information call
Lesbian/Gay Switchboard at 253-GAYS and ask for the
organization's contact person.
Indianapolis NOW meets at Planned Parenthood, 3219 N. Meridian, 2nd Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM; 925-4641.
Indianapolis Pitch-In: Our monthly pitch-in dinners provide
social and networking opportunities for all Lesbians. Generally, the pitch-in is scheduled for the second Friday of each
month, beginning at 7 PM. The location (and directions, if
necessary) usually is available at Dreams and Swords at least
a week before each pitch-in.
Integrity meets at All Saints Church, 16th and Central, Mondays
at 6:30 PM; 635-3744.
Justice, Inc.: Lesbian resource for issues regarding state laws,
community/police relations, civil rights, Lesbian/Gay conferences, other special events. 1534 E. 10th St., Indianapolis,
IN 46201, 634-9212.
Lesbian Discussion Group: 2nd and 4th Thursday of each
month, 7 - 8:30 PM, at 6356 N. Guilford; 577-2245 {Lori).
Lesbian Incest Survivors Therapy Group. Contact Linda
Gensheimer, (219) 426-5778 (Fort Wayne).
Older Women's Network for Women Over 40 meets at 7707
Lancer Lane, 3rd Tuesday of each month; 547-7702 (Sharon
or Carol) or Dreams & Swords.

Our Parents Aren't Straight (for children of Lesbians and
Gays), 3rd Tuesday of each month. No age limits. Parents
can/will meet in different room for discussions; 353-6636
(Debbie or Vicki), 881-0786 (Donna, Ruth, or Judy).
Overeaters Anonymous (for men and women) meets at Dreams
and Swords, 828 E. 64th Street, Fridays at 6:30 PM, 2539966.
P-FLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) meets at
Butler University in Atherton Center, Room 312, 2nd Sunday
of each month at 2:00 PM; 251-9307 (Donna).
University Gay/Lesbian Alliance meets at 3754 N. Illinois St.
(Lambda Center). Call 274-2585.
Women's Open Network: 274-5041 or 274-2585 (Sue Moenius).
Womenspired: 274-5041 or 274-2585 (Sue Moenius).
Bloomington (812)
Bloomington Switchboard: 336-4299.
Gay/Lesbian Alliance: 332-1847.
SPARKS: a social/educational forum for Lesbians. Contact
Marcia, 334-0414, or Carolyn, 339-4283.
Columbus <812}
Pitch-In: for information, call 376-0784.
Switchboard Concern: 293-8671 (24 hours).
Evansville (812)
Tri-State Alliance Meeting meets at Unitarian Universalist
Church, 856 So. Kentucky Ave., 4th Sunday of each month.
Fort Wayne (219)
Dignity/Fort Wayne, P.O. Box 12151, 46862.
Drop-In meets at Up the Stairs Community Center, 3426 Broadway, Fridays at 7:30 PM
Fort Wayne Women's Bureau: 303 E. Washington Blvd., 4247977. Peer Counseling: 9 AM - 2 PM, 426-0023. Rape
Awareness Program Hotline: 426-RAPE.
Liberty (812)
The Pearl: Feminist resource/journal. Contact: Natalie Isaac,
editor, 304 South Fairground, Liberty, IN 47353.
Mishawaka (219)
Open Arms: MonthlynewsletterforMichianaLesbians. Contact:
P.O. Box 845, Mishawaka, IN 46544. Yearly subscription:
$10.00; sample copy: $ 1.00. Make check payable to Roberta
Miller.
Muncie (317)
Ball State Gay/Lesbian Alliance, P.O. Box 354, Pittenger Student Center, 47907; 743-6675.

South Bend (219)
Help Line: 232-2522 (9 AM - 5 PM).
Hot Line: 232-3344 (24 Hours).
IUSBU Womyn's Center: 929 Greenlawn, 237-4494.
Monthly Lesbian Potluck and weekly Lesbian support group;
291-3720.

Page4

LAVENDER VISIONS

February/March 1990

Foremother brings feminism, self back home
Having left the Interstate some 45 minutes before, it seemed
like a trip back in time, as I drove through the valleys and around
the hills of southern Indiana. It had been a long time since I'd been
so far away from congested city life and, in spite of the challenges
the icy roads presented, I was thoroughly enjoying this adventure
- savoring the beauty of the countryside sprinkled with tidy
farmhouses, enjoying the simplicity of the villages with their
Amish carriages, their horses patiently awaiting the drivers, and
most of all anticipating seeing my friend of many years ...
remembering.
"Follow US 52 through Metamora and on into Brookville. At
the junction of 101 and 1, take a left," she'd said. "Stay on 1 up
the hill to the Y, past the County Farm Bureau Coop and take a
right on Oxford Pike and then a left about half a mile onto
Whitcomb Road. Come on up Bonwell Hill, past the stone house
my Great Grandfather Bonwell built, and about 6 miles down the
road, next to the Methodist Church is my house - white with
green shutters- last house in town."
As I pulled into the drive, I noticed the walk to the back door
had been cleared of snow. "Of course," I remembered," you
always use the back door in the country." So following both the
cleared path and the sound of Celtic music, I found my old friend
Joyce, waiting at the door.
Having been greeted by her so many times in her other homes
~~~~~~~~~~~~ - apartment in Indianapolis, Hygeia's Grove on PosWE ARE
sum Trot Road, her hideaway in Nashville, and yes,
EVERYWHERE
The Woman's Touch - I
l.:.iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;;;;;;,,I instantly knew, as I entered
her kitchen, that this was
home, really home for Joyce.
As she showed me through her old/new home, I was struck by
how "Joyce" this place was. "Country Victorian," she aptly calls
it: a blend of the antique and the modem. We laughed as, moving
from room to room, the floors dipped. Asshepointedoutthemany
improvements she'd made on this 100+ year-old house, she also
reminisced: "The wallpaper in this bedroom was here when I was
a child, and this space, now my study, was my bedroom when I was
a little girl." For the house was, in fact, Joyce's home for the first
10 years of her life, as it had been home for her mother, her
grandmother and her great-grandmother, who had purchased it (as
an unmarried woman!) in 1909.
"When Great AuntJosephine died in 1987, the house went on
the market, and it simply wasn't a possibility for me to buy the
house. So for the first time through four generations, the house
became the property of someone outside the family."
Yet, less than 2 years later, on a visit to her parents in nearby
Brookville, Joyce decided to drive out to the "old place." And,
incredibly, there was a "For Sale" sign in front. Immediately, she
knew the place was to be hers; it was right to return home. "You
know, I could've married and if I'd never left Brookville, I
probably would've married. But, I know I had to leave in order to

*

*

Home of four generations of women.
experience all that I have ... and in order to come back here," she
says.
"I am first a woman, then a feminist," says Joyce. "I became
a card-carrying NOW [National Organization for Women] member in 1970- before I even knew I was a Lesbian." And while
Joyce believes reclaiming our ancient history is important, it is
also important for us to remember that things were not always as
they are now. Many of us had to make many sacrifices.
NOW was intriguing to Joyce since they talked about equal
rights. "I was brought up believing I was equal. I was a tom-boy
all my life. I did the same things all the boys did around hereusually better-and it was a shock to be told (in 1955) by my high
school counselor that I wasn't smart enough to be a doctor. I
always wanted to be a doctor, but back then women didn't go to
Med. school; my only option was to be a teacher or a nurse.
"So for the first time, I realized that just because I was a
woman, I couldn't do some things. I was told I wasn't as smart as
the boys and I went for years believing I wasn't smart. So when
I heard about NOW, I thought, that sounds like something I
believe," she smiles. "I do believe I'm equal."
By 1973, Joyce had met Jeanine Rae who was quite politically
active. So, for the first time, she had someone with whom she
could discuss her beliefs. "Jeanine opened my eyes to politics, and
yes, she was a role-model for me."
Through the summer of 1976, Joyce and Jeanine began
researching women's counseling centers and bookstores around
the country, and, miraculously, and with enormous commitment
and energy, on October 1, the Woman's Touch, Inc. opened its
doors.
"It was a very special time," Joyce says. "It was the right time;
circumstances were justrightand the events evolving in the whole
country [i.e. attempted passage of the Equal Rights Amendment]
were right. I like to think of that time in history as the Feminist
Camelot period."

continued on page B

February/March 1990

Page 5

LAVENDER VISIONS

THE SUPPORTERS' PAGE
To advertise here, please use the Order Form on the back page or contact us at Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville IN 46077

317/253--9966

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Individual, Couple, Family and Group Therapy

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Indianapolis, Indiana 46220

(317) 253-5160

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Page6

LAVENDER VISIONS

Community
continued from page 1

attended by Sen.ator Birch Bayh, and they held two state-wide
conferences to address feminist issues.
A large house owned by an IWL memberon Broadway served
as the first women's center here. Women ran a cooperative daycare center on the main floor, and rooms were rented upstairs to
provide some maintenance income. Scores of support groups,
consciousness-raising groups, and political strategizing meetings
were conducted here. IWL carried out various political actions,
such as leafletting a "bridal fair" to protest sexism; picketing at
Glendale Mall following a rape in the parking lot which did result
in management hiring security for the Mall; they conducted a
"mill-in" at a men-only establishment; leafletted to free Joann
Little and continually worked to raise public awareness of and
outrage at violence against women. IWL members also provided
abortion counseling and arranged transportation to New York
where legal abortions were available. A smaller group of radical
feminists, known as the Angela Davis Brigade, formed to seek
ways of integrating their feminism with more radical political
actions.
In 1972, the first National Organization for Women chapter
was formed in Indianapolis and grew from the political heritage of
IWL. The women's community rallied to support the Equal
Rights Amendment campaign through 1982. In 1973, the local
NOW chapter conducted a successful campaign on the television
stations to get more women before the camera. As a result of their
work, Jane Pauley became anchorwoman on the TV news! She
has gratefully acknowledged these efforts publicly.
A women's rugby team was active from '74-'77, and, of
course, women's softballcontinued to thrive. In Octoberof 1976,
The Woman's Touch, our first feminist bookstore and counseling
center opened and thrived until July, 1980. Womanshine Theatre
was born here, women's spirituality groups were birthed and
nurtured here, and NOW conducted meetings and trainings to
wage the war against discrimination against women here.
In the fall of '77, the first women's concert was held at the
YWCA and featured Casse Culver. Two additional concerts, in
1978, featuring Kristen Lems and the Izquierda Ensemble raised
more funds for the first feminist bar in Indianapolis, our beloved
Labyris. The first New Year's Eve Concert and Dance was held
December 31, 1978 at Cathedral High School and featured Teresa
Trull, Therese Edell and Betsy Lippett. We celebrated the purchase of space for a feminist bar that night and for the next three
months, women worked tirelessly renovating the space which
opened in March, 1979.
The Lab was a unique bar/gathering place that provided a
congenial, safe space for many different women. During the five
years of her existence, we enjoyed 156 concerts/events produced
there. Over 40 different performers graced her stage, the names of
which reflect the herstory of women's music and culture- both
nationally and locally. In 1981, Indy's first Take-Back-The-Night
Rally was held at Labyris and continued through the next three
years. Womenposted"MayoralDecrees",printedontheMayor's

February/March 1990

stationery, stating that all men were "prohibited from being on the
streets after dark until the crime of rape is eliminated." This action
resulted in a deluge of phone calls to the media by the concerned
public. The hesbian Discussion Group began at the Lab and
continues to thrive, expanding to twice-monthly meetings in 1989.
In addition to the euchre and pool tournaments, the Women's
Reviews were enjoyed by many.
In the mid- '70s, two groups worked for Lesbian/Gay rights:
the Coalition for Human Rights and the Gay People's Union.
These groups were instrumental in organizing the first state-wide
Gay/Lesbian Conference at the YWCA which was picketed by
fundamentalist groups. In 1977 these groups, along with state
NOW chapters, marched on the Coliseum to protest the views of
Anita Bryant as she appeared there. In 1981, Justice, Inc. was
formed to carry on the political work of these groups.
In addition the "The Touch" and the IWL center, two other
women's centers have been established here. Everywoman's
Center was opened in the mid- '70s to provide supportive services
forwomenandashelterforbatteredwomen. Thiseffortwasshortlived due to lack of funding. The Womankind/Womanspace
Center was open from July, 1981 to March, 1983. The Feminist
Writer's Guild was organized here and various workshops for
women were offered from home-repair to financial planning.
Womankind was a feminist newspaper that published from about
1978 through 1982. / Know You Know, an international monthly
magazine for Lesbians was published in Indianapolis from December, 1984 through December, 1985.
The monthly pitch-ins were revived in September, 1980 and
35 women attended; in October, 50 women attended and they have
continued monthly since then. In September, 1981, Dreams and
Swords, feminist family bookstore, opened in a small room in the
Womankind/Womanspace Center. (Between the closing of The
Touch and the opening of Dreams & Swords, a handful of women
carried crates of books to Labyris on weekends and all events in
order to make women's literature available to the comm unity.) In
March, 1983, Dreams & Swords moved to her current home in
Broad Ripple.
A Lesbian mother's support group met monthly during the
mid- '80s. Lesbians who were not mothers provided child-care in
order to allow moms to be together without the distraction of their
children.
In 1982, the National Women's Music Festival moved to
Bloomington from Champaign, Illinois. Since then we have
continued to organize fund-raising events - auctions, concerts
and dances- to support WIA/NWMF. Branching Out Productions was formed in 1983 and continues to promote women's
culture in music. In the fall of '88, Something's Brewing, a
monthly coffeehouse was inaugurated, and in April of '89,
Lavender Visions came into being!
A glance at the Resources and Bulletin Board sections of L V
reveals our growth as a community- providing support for our
varied needs and interests ... and it all began with a few women
opening up to each other, wanting to right some wrongs, heal some
hurts, and willing to give some service. I hope we think of all of
them and honor the feminist spirit of their efforts as we continue
to create our herstory in the new decade.

February/March 1990

Page 7

LAVENDER VISIONS

THE SUPPORTERS' PAGE
To advertise here, please use the Order Form on the back page or contact us at Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville IN 46077

0Cw4!'.~~

93 south butler ave., suite 3
indianapolis, IN 46219
317/356-4914

Books • Cassettes • Videos • Cards • Classes
Hours: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday- Friday
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Indianapolis, IN 46220
(317) 255-9907

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Page8

LAVENDER VISIONS

February/March 1990

Foremother
continued from page 4

The Woman's Touch was a feminist counseling center and
bookstore that was the hub of the Lesbian feminist community
from 1976-1980. As with all significant gains in history, the
sacrifices were many. Burdened by more care-taking skills than
business acumen, the Woman's Touch sadly closed in July, 1980.
Yet during those four years, "The Touch" was midwife to many
events and organizations - many of which continue to thrive
today. Womanshine Productions and the Gay/Lesbian AA were
born; a woman's newspaper, plays, concerts, women's shelters,
Sister celebration, discussion groups and NOW - all enjoyed
supportandnurturance at The Touch. Feminist therapists received
training and guidance in ways that were unavailable anywhere
else.
And when Joyce's primary partnerof more than 10 years died
prematurely of cancer in 1984, Joyce grieved the double loss of
both Jeanine and The Touch profoundly - as did the entire
Lesbian community.
Joyce is politically a Lesbian. Isolated from the Lesbian
community, she still considers herself woman-identified. She
nurtures herself as a woman by being around other women, talking
to women, being political in the Women's Movement, marching,
writing to congress people, and enjoying other women and their
accomplishments.
Today,Joyce,asnurse/educatorworkingwiththeelderly,and
training nursing-home staff, integrates her political views gently
and subtly in this rural conservative community, by planting seeds
of understanding regarding AIDS and relating pro-choice to our

Living green:
10 Things You Can Do
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Mend and repair, rather than discard and replace.
Invest in well-made, functional clothing.
Buy bulk & unpackaged rather than packaged goods.
Purchase goods in reusable or recyclable containers.
Buy organic, pesticide-free foods.
Buy foods without additives and preservatives.
Use non-toxic pest control.
Compost your food scraps.
Grow your own food (even small kitchen gardens!).
Volunteer to start or help with a community garden.

[Editor's Note: For the next several issues, we will be publishing
ways you can live your ecofeminist values.]

right to die with dignity and to choose what will happen to our
bodies regarding chemotherapy. In this "pro-life" Catholic,
Pentecostal southern Indiana community, Joyce has an opportunity to introduce ideas that many of these folks have never
considered. "I do things in ways that hopefully plant seeds of
knowledge about what life is, what it is to be an individual with
choice and freedom, and that has to do with Lesbianism, with
feminism and pro-choice."
So at 52, Joyce has chosen to come home to her birth home
which provides her not only a vehicle for her work at this time in
her life, but a sense of rootedness and community as well.
As Joyce looks toward the future, she passionately hopes for
passage of the Equal Rights Amendment and the election of a
woman president, while at the same time she worries about
aloneness. What will happen when she's 70 and no longer as
mobile? Will anyone remember this foremother of ours, this
woman who was a founding Board Member of the National
Women's Music Festival?
Sadly, the time had come for me to head up the road.
Reluctantly, Ileft that warm sunny kitchen and I wondered, "How
many women, through the years, have sat in that very kitchen,
drinking coffee together, sharing their stories, dreaming dreams of
equality and remembering?" For Joyce-our own foremotheris indeed living her life uniquely, integrating the strength of those
many strong women in her own herstory and quietly working to
challenge and improve ours.

We invite your creativity!
Lavender Visions invites your participation in the form of
letters, articles, poetry, cartoons, or photography. All material
must be signed; names will be withheld upon request.
All material becomes the property ofLavender Visions and
will be returned only if accompanied by a self-addressed,
stamped envelope. Editors reserve the right to edit for
publication.
The April/May issue will focus on community, in addition
to our regular features.
Send submissions to P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077;
all material must be received 6 weeks before publication.

February/March 1990

Page9

LAVENDER VISIONS

Bulletin Board
Women in the Arts Presents (fund-raising for NWMF):
Women's Dance, Saturday, February 24, 9 PM - 1 AM,
Saengor Chor, 13th & Park. Tickets $4.

Spaghetti Dinner & Dance, Saturday, March 24, Saengor
Chor, 13th & Park. Tickets $9.
Art Exhibit and Sale featuring women artists of Indiana,
Saturday and Sunday, April 21-22, wine and cheese
reception; location to be announced.
Karen Beth in Concert, Friday, April 27, Bloomington.
For information call Carolyn VandeWiele (812) 3394283.
Karen Beth in Concert, Saturday, April 28, Indianapolis.
For information call Mary Byrne (317) 923-5574.
Deb Mullins in Concert, Saturday, May 5, Indianapolis.
For information call Mary Byrne (317) 923-5574.

[For more information about any of the above events, call
Mary Byrne (317) 923-5574.]

"Something's Brewing": "Something's Brewing" Women's
Coffeehouse meets the first Saturday of each month at 7:30
PMat615West43rdStreet(UnitarianUniversalistChurch).
For information about programs, cost and schedule changes,
call (317) 274-2585.
National Women's Music Festival (NWMF), Thursday- Sunday, May 31 - June 3, Bloomington, IN. Here are some of the
featured performers, speakers, writers: May Sarton, Minnie
Brua Pratt, Karla Jay, Kay Leigh Hagan, Rachel Bagby,
Shekinah Mountainwater, Arisika, Nan Brooks & Jane
Winslow, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Adrian Torf, Ferron, Holly
Near, Heather Bishop, Linda Tillery, and Deidre McCalla.
Don't miss it- save some vacation days for these dates!

Please send information about upcoming events for
publication in Bulletin Board to:
Lavender Visions, PO Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077.

THE SUPPORTERS' PAGE
Shipp Construction Company
Mariel Burch, M.S.W.
Clinical Social Worker -

Therapist

3508-A Stellhorn Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46815

Specializing in ...
• Storm Windows, Storm Doors
• Replacement Windows and Doors
• Installation of Siding

Special discount for "family" members
(219) 486-2258

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Sharon Chrust

MASSAGE
by appointment
Carol Simmons

(317) 252-2404

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Individuals, Couples, Groups, Adolescents

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Specializing in
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Sexual & Gender Identity Issues

Page 10

LAVENDER VISIONS

February/March 1990

THE LAVENDER PAGE
To be listed here, please use the Order Form on the back page or contact us at: Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077

ADVERTISING

ENTERTAINMENT

Accent Advertising Co., Inc., 5420 East St. Clair St.,
Indianapolis, IN 46219 ................................ (317) 357-6530

Jane Winslow, Singer/Songwriter/Workshop Presenter,
3416 Brookline Ave. #2, Cincinnati, OH 45220 ................ ..
............................................................... (513) 281-2944

BOOKSTORES/MEDIA
Aquarius Books for a Feminist Future, 116 N. Grant St.,
Bloomington, IN 47402 ............................. (812) 336-0988
Awakening, 6358 N. Guilford Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46220
............................................................... (317) 255-9907
Dreams and Swords., Inc., 828 E 64th St., Indianapolis,
IN 46220 ................................................. (317) 253-9966

CHIROPRACTORS
Pyramid Chiropractic, Peg VanDenburgh, DC, 8648
Purdue Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46268 .............. (317) 876-0887

CONSTRUCTION/HOME IMPROVEMENT
Janco Lock Service, Certified, bonded, insured .............. .
............................................................... (317) 291-1818
Anne Shellabarger, Mooresville, IN ........ (317) 996-2115
Shipp Construction Co . ..... (317) 254-9126 or 252-2404
Sunshine Services ................................ (317) 353-6636

COUNSELING/PERSONAL GROWTH
Courageous Living, Tim Davis, MS, Nancy O'Hara, MS,
CAD AC ................................................... (317) 925-0043

FLORISTS
Flowers Unlimited, 222 E. Market St., Indianapolis, IN
46204 ..................................................... (317) 636-5533
Town and Country Florist of Carmel, 2182 E. 116th
St., Keystone Square Mall, Carmel, IN ......... (317) 846-4221

JEWELLERS
The Brass Ring, Custom jewellers, gold-silversmiths and
lapidaries, Antique Alley, Nashville IN .......... (812) 988-2729

MASSAGE/RELAXATION THERAPY
Freda Neal, Alternatives for Health, 1217 Washington St.,
Columbus, IN .......................................... (812) 376-9194
Serenity Tank Center, 2070 E. 54th St., Suite 2,
Indianapolis, IN 46220 ............................... (317) 251-9992
Maryann Steinhart, 6407 N. Michigan Road, Indianapolis,
IN 46268 ................................................. (317) 257-2350
Sue Wagman, Certified Massage Practitioner, ................. ..
.................................. (317) 283-6607 (H) or 251-9992 (W)
Kay Whitehead, BA, MsT ....................... (317) 924-4557

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Micky Craney, 93 S. Butler Ave., Suite 3, Indianapolis, IN
46219 ..................................................... (317) 356-4914

Mary A. Byrne, Realtor, 1202 N. Pennsylvania,
Indianapolis, IN 46202 .............. (317) 638-1020 or 923-5574

Farrell/Shaw Associates ...................... (317) 283-3623

Haynes Bookkeeping, Tax service specializing in small
business and S-corporations ......................... (317) 293-3190

Mary Gaul, Ed.D., 6360 Guilford, Indianapolis, IN 46220 ...
............................................................... (317) 253-5160

Clara Ann Merkel, French lace making .... (317) 924-4557

Nancy VanArsdall Jones, MA, 6360 Guilford Ave.,
Indianapolis, IN ........................................ (317) 253-5160

Candace L. Shear ls, Computer Consultant ................... .
............................................................... (317) 255-8328

Pat Jordan, MS ....................................... (317) 257-2350

Union Ceremonies and relationship celebrations for Gay
and Lesbian couples. Debra Harless, MDiv .... (317) 924-2028

Margaret Miholick, ACSW ................... (317) 257-8590
June Thompson, ACSW, CADAC ........... (317) 251-7051

ROOMS FOR RENT
Rooms for rent in homes of Lesbians and Gays in
Indianapolis .............................................. (317) 925-0043

i

1

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M 001 111 583

Univl]f

February/March 1990

Pride Week plans underway
"Into the Gay '90s with Pride" will be the theme oflndiana's
1990 Gay/Lesbian Pride Week. With that theme, we will be
showing our pride in public with a Pride Festival on Monument
Circle in Indianapolis.
During the Festival, the Circle will be closed to traffic and we
will fill the center of downtown with organizational and information booths from throughout the state, and with food and beverage
booths. There will be local and national entertainers as well as
local and national speakers to address the crowd.
This type of event will continue the friendly atmosphere of the
picnics held in previous years as well as provide an opportunity for
Gays and Lesbians to increase their political and community
awareness and visibility. Having the event on the Circle will
provide both an educational and enjoyable atmosphere for the
Indianapolis community at large to enjoy the speakers and entertainers.
The Pride Week Committee is now forming. The Committee
will divided into five sub-groups: Logistics, Booths, Entertainment, Publicity, and Financial. Each sub-group will meet regularly to accomplish their tasks and limit the number of large
Committee meetings that will be needed. There are also many
tasks for individuals who do not live in Indianapolis.
[Please contact Ruth Peters for further information: Home: (317)
253-1460; Work: (317) 635-4059.]

Lavender Visions Survey

Page 11

24-hour Hot Line
for
Pro-Choice Action Update
Daily update on Indiana
legislative process regarding
abortion rights. Call to be
informed, to know what you
can do to support a woman's
right to choose control of her
own body.

(317) 283-7131

Bestsellers at Dreams & Swords
fk.wm

Lesbian/Gay

Fried Green Tomatoes
Beverly Malibu
Bingo
Patience & Sarah
Fur Person

Pleasures
Lesbian Bedtime Stories
Lesbian Love Stories
Lesbian Couples
Color of Light: AIDS Meds.

Recovery

We 're sure you've noticed the L VS urvey included in this issue.
Please take the time to respond - we'd love to hear from you.

Courage to Heal
You Can Heal Your Life
Dance of Anger
Victims No Longer
Dance of Intimacy

Thank you,
LV Staff

INFORMATION FORM
I'm excited about Lavender Visions and I'd like to help by:
_ _ selling ads
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helping with distribution and sales
Name

---------------------

FEB/MAR 1990

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Send to: Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077.

Page 12

LAVENDER VISIONS

February/March 1990

Darin's Diary
• I had just finished one of those days - nothing had gone
well and my mood reflected my frustration and anger. When I got
home, I discovered my copy of LV had arrived. I sat right down,
without even taldng off my coat, and read it from cover to cover.
It brightened my mood and made my evening so much nicer than
my day.

• As a member of the LV staff, I thought it might be exciting
to pass on to you that we now have over 300 subscribers! We're
so pleased to be reaching so many people. Thank you!

• My sister and I were discussing a mutual friend's recent
breakup with his girlfriend. She asked me, "What did he see in
her? If you were a man, would you see anything in her?" My
answer was, "Well, personal! y, she doesn't interest me, but other
women may find her attractive." We both laughed- how nice it

[Editor's Note: Dorin's Diary is a compilation of descriptions
(provided by our readers) identifying experiences of affirmation,
celebration, consciousness-raising, connection with, and nurturance from other women/Lesbians in the local/global community. SendcontributionstoDorin'sDiary,c/oLavenderVisions.]

is to reference my own sexuality in a casual manner with someone
I love so dearly.

SUBSCRIPTION/ORDER FORM
I want to

FEB/MAR 1990

order a subscription ($8-12, sliding scale) _ _ place a business card ad ($30)
_ _ place a supporter ad ($30 or more)
be listed on the Lavender Page ($5)

Send subscription to: Name _______________________________
Address
Phone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
City _____________________ State _ _ _ _ _ _ ZIP _ _ _ _ __
NOTE:

If you are placing a business card ad, please enclose your card (print ready).
If you are placing a supporter ad, please indicate specific words of support.
If you are placing a Lavender Page listing, please provide listing information.
Make checks payable to Lavender Visions. Send to: Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077.

~

VISIONS

Survey

Lavender Visions would like your opinions, comments, and suggestions. We'd also like to know you better to serve you better. We
would greatly appreciate it if you would take a few moments to fill out this survey and mail it to Lavender Visions. Thank you!
Are you currently a subscriber to Lavender Visions? Yes _ _ No
Where do you live? State _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

County _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

What is your occupation? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Which of these issues are of interest to you? (check all that apply)
Women's Rights
Spirituality and Peacemaking
Lesbian Rights
Ecofeminism
Abortion
Codependency
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Recovery
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Other------------------------------------Please describe any specific topics that may interest you to be covered in Lavender Visions. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Indicate which of our articles and features you read regularly. (check all that apply)
Lead Article or Stories
Articles by or about Artists, Writers, etc.
Reviews of Books, Plays, Productions, etc.
We Are Everywhere
Do you use the services of any of our advertisers? Yes__

Dorin' s Diary
Resources
Bulletin Board

No

Have you used the Lavender Visions' advertisers as a reference when looking for a particular service? Yes__ No
Comments or Suggestions: ____________________________________

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VISIONS
February/March 1990

Coming out as a community: creating our own herstory
byM.G.
"You may forget but let me tell you this: someone in some
future time will think ofus." - Sappho, circa 600 BC.
"Community is a strange thing which eludes us if we aim
directly at it. Instead, community comes as a by-product of
commitment and struggle. It comes when we step forward to right
some wrong, to heal some hurt, to give some service. Then we
discover each other as allies in resisting the diminishments of life.
It is found among all people who have said 'no' to tyranny with the
YES of their lives" (P.J. Palmer, A Place Called Community).
The feminist movement of the '70s cut across age, race, class,
religion and sexual preference to empower women to say "no" to
the tyranny of "isms" in their culture. As a result of their political
activisms and Lesbian visibility, we can enjoy and participate in
a broader sense of community today than was possible in earlier
times.
In this article, we feature a glimpse of the past 20 years in
Indianapolis. [We hope to collect more oral herstory as well as
written recollections from readers in other communities.] As we
move into the '90s let us pause to reflect on what has come before
us, lest we forget the significance of affirming our lives as we grow
in the new decade.
The national wave of feminism touched Indianapolis around
1968-69. A speaker from the Boston-based Bread & Roses group
served as a catalyst for women here to begin meeting to raise their
consciousness, to nurture, affirm and discuss feminist perspectives in their lives. Initially, a handful took turns meeting in each
others' homes on a monthly basis, and the monthly pitch-in
tradition was born. The focus was on consciousness-raising supporting each other in their growth as feminists. Newcomers
would be sponsored by a woman who would share her story with
the newcomer - her life history and growth as a feminist. The
newcomer would then share her story. Visions of change were
birthed and nurtured as a result of this investment in building a
sense of community based on the power of sisterhood.
Over time, their numbers grew to 20-30 women, each committed to exploring, discussing and working toward a feminist
future politically, socially and personally. This group became
known as Lavender Hill. The Lavender Hill pitch-ins included a
wide range of political views but all were feminist first and
Lesbian, straight, separatist, radical, or undecided, secondarily;
and lively discussion was the order of these eveniqgs. The pitchins continued through the late '70s and faded for a while. Two
years ago, a reunion was attended by 20 of the original Lavender
Hill women!

Visions of change were birthed
and nurtured . . . based on the
power of sisterhood.

The Indianapolis Women's Liberation organization was
formed in 1970. They published a newsletter reaching a circulation ofover 200 by the time it ceased publication in 1972. In 1970,
IWL was represented at the march in New York celebrating the
50th anniversary of women's right to vote. Locally, they organized
a Sisterhood is Powerful rally in Broad Ripple Park which was

continued on page 6

Hope for the heart
by Jean Austin
"I don't want to live! The pain is too much and goes too deep.
To relieve the pain of emotional change and reckoning, the only
thing I can do is die. Deep down I don't want to. Somebody help
me live and care again!"
An emotional breakdown is a life changing experience. There
is anger, bitterness, lack of hope for the future, and it seems that it
takes an eternity to move through feelings like this. Kind people
help ease the pain temporarily and the permanent peace of mind
and peace of the soul that comes when it is over is like being given
a second chance to live a life that is full of love.
The community of women in Indianapolis has had a profound
effect on my life. Though recently I have been away from the
friends and sister family I used to spend so much time with, the
many interpersonal interactions and the many words of support I
recalled during my illness helped me cope with seemingly impossible circumstances inmy life. I remembered the enjoyable times,
the sharing of intimate conversations, the identification I felt with
the women I knew. I thought someone could save me from going
through the pain and Ilearned that no one can. Even though we are
among so many and though there are genuine expressions of
caring among us, in the end we still have to cope and grow alone

continued on page 2

Page2

LAVENDER VISIONS

The faces of choice

February/March 1990

Hope for the heart

by Audrey Savage

continued from page 1

The faces of the people were beautiful: alive, positive,
smiling, expecting, determined; somewhere between 150,000 to
300,000 beautiful faces - faces of the young, of the old, of
families, of children, and even of dogs-all in one place, all caring
about the same thing, all reacting to the words coming over the
loud speakers. They were wonderful faces to watch as the men and
women on the platform talked of the millions of women who had
been required to have back alley abortions, many of them dead
from these same abortions. As the men and women on the platform
talked about our refusal to allow George Bush and his litmustested judges to take away our rights - women's choice about
their own bodies.
The faces at the rally were so different from the angry, hating
faces I have seen on TV and in newspapers of those people who
call themselves "pro-life." Those people who, in the name oflife,
march to clinics with the intent and purpose of interfering with
women as they go for their legal abortions. Those people who fire
bomb these same clinics in the name of life. Those people who
wave bloody flags over peaceful gatherings in the name of life.
Those people who threaten and inflame with their inaccurate
information in the name of life. Those people who want to stem
the flow of women's freedom in the name oflife ... but who don't
raise a finger for those already alive.
But the faces of choice that I saw in Washington are the faces
oflife. It was "caring" I saw when I looked at them. To begin with
they cared enough about freedom, everyone's freedom, to come
thousands of miles to Washington to preserve women's right to
their own bodies. They cared enough about what the speakers
were saying to listen respectfully and to cheer at meaningful
moments. And I suspect, from that caring, that they would also
care about the homeless, the uneducated, the hungry, the victims
of abuse, the lonely, and the many other offsprings of our society
that produce children because we are "supposed" to, rather than
because we "want" to.
I don't know about you, but it's the faces I saw in Washington
on November 12, 1989- the faces of choice- that I want in my
future ... not those hating faces I see destroying abortion clinics,
and protesting women's rights to choose ... faces that call themselves "pro-life." Which faces do you want in your future?

- there is a part of us that is always alone. We can often touch
that part of ourselves or of another for a moment in the act of
physical intimacy or in the act of a purposeful intimate conversation. For those precious moments, we do not feel alone and we
truly do touch our own souls and the soul of the other human being.
We cannot sustain this feeling, but we look for the experience over
and over again.
This. touching is what relieves the pain of the emotional
breaking apart of the heart. This touching is what this community
of women has meant to me. Though I have found that many of my
values are different from the women I have known, there is still a
love between us that many do not understand and many others
envy. Though we disagree with one another, we still give out
respect for the differences we have. My years with the Indianapolis community of women have helped me become a more independent person, and have given me strength to cope with problems
in my life that I never dreamed I would have. I thought it was
impossible to make it out of my depressions a year ago, but I am
recovering and getting better as each day passes. I am not ashamed
of my illness. I have changed and grown because of it. Maybe I
have something to give back to my community now. As time goes
on I will discover what that giving can be. Though none of you
were with me during my dark years, you were there in spirit and
I feel wonderful for having known the kind of people you are.

~
VISIONS
Statement of Purpose
Lavender Visions is
for me and for you,
for all Lesbians,
for us to connect within
our larger community
so that together we may increase
our respect and support
for each other and ourselves,
affirming, celebrating and
honoring the women we are.

Published bi-monthly by Solstice Seed. Mailing address: Lavender
Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077. The opinions
expressed in Lavender Visions do not necessarily reflect the views
of the publishers and editors.
Publishers ............ Mary Gaul (M.G.), Nancy VanArsdall Jones
Managing Editor .............................................. Candace Shearls
Editors .................................................. D.J. Gridley, Pat Jordan
Staff ............................................ Joan Townsend, Deb Mullins
Mail Subscriptions
Subscriptions are available at $8-12 a year. Advertising rates
available on request. Send address corrections to address above.

February/March 1990

LAVENDER VISIONS

Page3

Resources
Indianapolis (317)
AIDS Hotline: 257-HOPE, answered 7-11 PM, every evening.
AIDS: Living the Journey Together: a family therapy group for
persons with AIDS and a care partner, parent, sibling, lover,
friend. Sponsored by Courageous Living Counseling Services, located in Westview Hospital Professional Bldg., 9250043.
Catholic Lesbian Support Group; open to all Catholic and nonCatholic Lesbians who want to explore their Christian faith
within the context of their sexuality; 925-6866 (Martha) or
357-7964 (Carol).
Dignity meets at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 46th & Illinois,
Sundays at 6 PM; P.O. Box 431, Indianapolis, IN 46202; 9246578 (Drew).
Feminist Writers; 5138 E. North St., Indianapolis, IN 46219;
357-7964 (Carol).
Friends for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (Quaker); 356-8646
(Diane or Perri).
Gay AA meets at Bethlehem Lutheran, Sundays at 7 PM; 6327864.
Gay/Lesbian Switchboard: 253-GA YS (7 - 11 PM).
Gay and Lesbian Codependents Anonymous meets at Winona
Hospital, 3232 N. Meridian St.; 925-1135 (Don), 636-4986
(Joe), 297-0386 (Pam).
Gay Parents Coalition of Indianapolis meets at Holy Eucharist
Church, 38th & Illinois, 2nd Sunday of each month at 7:30
PM; 253-2280 (John)
Indianapolis Youth Group for Lesbian and gay youth ages 23
and under meets bi-weekly. For more information call
Lesbian/Gay Switchboard at 253-GAYS and ask for the
organization's contact person.
Indianapolis NOW meets at Planned Parenthood, 3219 N. Meridian, 2nd Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM; 925-4641.
Indianapolis Pitch-In: Our monthly pitch-in dinners provide
social and networking opportunities for all Lesbians. Generally, the pitch-in is scheduled for the second Friday of each
month, beginning at 7 PM. The location (and directions, if
necessary) usually is available at Dreams and Swords at least
a week before each pitch-in.
Integrity meets at All Saints Church, 16th and Central, Mondays
at 6:30 PM; 635-3744.
Justice, Inc.: Lesbian resource for issues regarding state laws,
community/police relations, civil rights, Lesbian/Gay conferences, other special events. 1534 E. 10th St., Indianapolis,
IN 46201, 634-9212.
Lesbian Discussion Group: 2nd and 4th Thursday of each
month, 7 - 8:30 PM, at 6356 N. Guilford; 577-2245 {Lori).
Lesbian Incest Survivors Therapy Group. Contact Linda
Gensheimer, (219) 426-5778 (Fort Wayne).
Older Women's Network for Women Over 40 meets at 7707
Lancer Lane, 3rd Tuesday of each month; 547-7702 (Sharon
or Carol) or Dreams & Swords.

Our Parents Aren't Straight (for children of Lesbians and
Gays), 3rd Tuesday of each month. No age limits. Parents
can/will meet in different room for discussions; 353-6636
(Debbie or Vicki), 881-0786 (Donna, Ruth, or Judy).
Overeaters Anonymous (for men and women) meets at Dreams
and Swords, 828 E. 64th Street, Fridays at 6:30 PM, 2539966.
P-FLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) meets at
Butler University in Atherton Center, Room 312, 2nd Sunday
of each month at 2:00 PM; 251-9307 (Donna).
University Gay/Lesbian Alliance meets at 3754 N. Illinois St.
(Lambda Center). Call 274-2585.
Women's Open Network: 274-5041 or 274-2585 (Sue Moenius).
Womenspired: 274-5041 or 274-2585 (Sue Moenius).
Bloomington (812)
Bloomington Switchboard: 336-4299.
Gay/Lesbian Alliance: 332-1847.
SPARKS: a social/educational forum for Lesbians. Contact
Marcia, 334-0414, or Carolyn, 339-4283.
Columbus <812}
Pitch-In: for information, call 376-0784.
Switchboard Concern: 293-8671 (24 hours).
Evansville (812)
Tri-State Alliance Meeting meets at Unitarian Universalist
Church, 856 So. Kentucky Ave., 4th Sunday of each month.
Fort Wayne (219)
Dignity/Fort Wayne, P.O. Box 12151, 46862.
Drop-In meets at Up the Stairs Community Center, 3426 Broadway, Fridays at 7:30 PM
Fort Wayne Women's Bureau: 303 E. Washington Blvd., 4247977. Peer Counseling: 9 AM - 2 PM, 426-0023. Rape
Awareness Program Hotline: 426-RAPE.
Liberty (812)
The Pearl: Feminist resource/journal. Contact: Natalie Isaac,
editor, 304 South Fairground, Liberty, IN 47353.
Mishawaka (219)
Open Arms: MonthlynewsletterforMichianaLesbians. Contact:
P.O. Box 845, Mishawaka, IN 46544. Yearly subscription:
$10.00; sample copy: $ 1.00. Make check payable to Roberta
Miller.
Muncie (317)
Ball State Gay/Lesbian Alliance, P.O. Box 354, Pittenger Student Center, 47907; 743-6675.

South Bend (219)
Help Line: 232-2522 (9 AM - 5 PM).
Hot Line: 232-3344 (24 Hours).
IUSBU Womyn's Center: 929 Greenlawn, 237-4494.
Monthly Lesbian Potluck and weekly Lesbian support group;
291-3720.

Page4

LAVENDER VISIONS

February/March 1990

Foremother brings feminism, self back home
Having left the Interstate some 45 minutes before, it seemed
like a trip back in time, as I drove through the valleys and around
the hills of southern Indiana. It had been a long time since I'd been
so far away from congested city life and, in spite of the challenges
the icy roads presented, I was thoroughly enjoying this adventure
- savoring the beauty of the countryside sprinkled with tidy
farmhouses, enjoying the simplicity of the villages with their
Amish carriages, their horses patiently awaiting the drivers, and
most of all anticipating seeing my friend of many years ...
remembering.
"Follow US 52 through Metamora and on into Brookville. At
the junction of 101 and 1, take a left," she'd said. "Stay on 1 up
the hill to the Y, past the County Farm Bureau Coop and take a
right on Oxford Pike and then a left about half a mile onto
Whitcomb Road. Come on up Bonwell Hill, past the stone house
my Great Grandfather Bonwell built, and about 6 miles down the
road, next to the Methodist Church is my house - white with
green shutters- last house in town."
As I pulled into the drive, I noticed the walk to the back door
had been cleared of snow. "Of course," I remembered," you
always use the back door in the country." So following both the
cleared path and the sound of Celtic music, I found my old friend
Joyce, waiting at the door.
Having been greeted by her so many times in her other homes
~~~~~~~~~~~~ - apartment in Indianapolis, Hygeia's Grove on PosWE ARE
sum Trot Road, her hideaway in Nashville, and yes,
EVERYWHERE
The Woman's Touch - I
l.:.iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;;;;;;,,I instantly knew, as I entered
her kitchen, that this was
home, really home for Joyce.
As she showed me through her old/new home, I was struck by
how "Joyce" this place was. "Country Victorian," she aptly calls
it: a blend of the antique and the modem. We laughed as, moving
from room to room, the floors dipped. Asshepointedoutthemany
improvements she'd made on this 100+ year-old house, she also
reminisced: "The wallpaper in this bedroom was here when I was
a child, and this space, now my study, was my bedroom when I was
a little girl." For the house was, in fact, Joyce's home for the first
10 years of her life, as it had been home for her mother, her
grandmother and her great-grandmother, who had purchased it (as
an unmarried woman!) in 1909.
"When Great AuntJosephine died in 1987, the house went on
the market, and it simply wasn't a possibility for me to buy the
house. So for the first time through four generations, the house
became the property of someone outside the family."
Yet, less than 2 years later, on a visit to her parents in nearby
Brookville, Joyce decided to drive out to the "old place." And,
incredibly, there was a "For Sale" sign in front. Immediately, she
knew the place was to be hers; it was right to return home. "You
know, I could've married and if I'd never left Brookville, I
probably would've married. But, I know I had to leave in order to

*

*

Home of four generations of women.
experience all that I have ... and in order to come back here," she
says.
"I am first a woman, then a feminist," says Joyce. "I became
a card-carrying NOW [National Organization for Women] member in 1970- before I even knew I was a Lesbian." And while
Joyce believes reclaiming our ancient history is important, it is
also important for us to remember that things were not always as
they are now. Many of us had to make many sacrifices.
NOW was intriguing to Joyce since they talked about equal
rights. "I was brought up believing I was equal. I was a tom-boy
all my life. I did the same things all the boys did around hereusually better-and it was a shock to be told (in 1955) by my high
school counselor that I wasn't smart enough to be a doctor. I
always wanted to be a doctor, but back then women didn't go to
Med. school; my only option was to be a teacher or a nurse.
"So for the first time, I realized that just because I was a
woman, I couldn't do some things. I was told I wasn't as smart as
the boys and I went for years believing I wasn't smart. So when
I heard about NOW, I thought, that sounds like something I
believe," she smiles. "I do believe I'm equal."
By 1973, Joyce had met Jeanine Rae who was quite politically
active. So, for the first time, she had someone with whom she
could discuss her beliefs. "Jeanine opened my eyes to politics, and
yes, she was a role-model for me."
Through the summer of 1976, Joyce and Jeanine began
researching women's counseling centers and bookstores around
the country, and, miraculously, and with enormous commitment
and energy, on October 1, the Woman's Touch, Inc. opened its
doors.
"It was a very special time," Joyce says. "It was the right time;
circumstances were justrightand the events evolving in the whole
country [i.e. attempted passage of the Equal Rights Amendment]
were right. I like to think of that time in history as the Feminist
Camelot period."

continued on page B

February/March 1990

Page 5

LAVENDER VISIONS

THE SUPPORTERS' PAGE
To advertise here, please use the Order Form on the back page or contact us at Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville IN 46077

317/253--9966

Nancy VanArsdall Jones, M.A.
Individual, Couple, Family and Group Therapy

6360 Guilford Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46220

(317) 253-5160

828 East 64th Street

Harriet Clare

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1~~ 334-2594

Page6

LAVENDER VISIONS

Community
continued from page 1

attended by Sen.ator Birch Bayh, and they held two state-wide
conferences to address feminist issues.
A large house owned by an IWL memberon Broadway served
as the first women's center here. Women ran a cooperative daycare center on the main floor, and rooms were rented upstairs to
provide some maintenance income. Scores of support groups,
consciousness-raising groups, and political strategizing meetings
were conducted here. IWL carried out various political actions,
such as leafletting a "bridal fair" to protest sexism; picketing at
Glendale Mall following a rape in the parking lot which did result
in management hiring security for the Mall; they conducted a
"mill-in" at a men-only establishment; leafletted to free Joann
Little and continually worked to raise public awareness of and
outrage at violence against women. IWL members also provided
abortion counseling and arranged transportation to New York
where legal abortions were available. A smaller group of radical
feminists, known as the Angela Davis Brigade, formed to seek
ways of integrating their feminism with more radical political
actions.
In 1972, the first National Organization for Women chapter
was formed in Indianapolis and grew from the political heritage of
IWL. The women's community rallied to support the Equal
Rights Amendment campaign through 1982. In 1973, the local
NOW chapter conducted a successful campaign on the television
stations to get more women before the camera. As a result of their
work, Jane Pauley became anchorwoman on the TV news! She
has gratefully acknowledged these efforts publicly.
A women's rugby team was active from '74-'77, and, of
course, women's softballcontinued to thrive. In Octoberof 1976,
The Woman's Touch, our first feminist bookstore and counseling
center opened and thrived until July, 1980. Womanshine Theatre
was born here, women's spirituality groups were birthed and
nurtured here, and NOW conducted meetings and trainings to
wage the war against discrimination against women here.
In the fall of '77, the first women's concert was held at the
YWCA and featured Casse Culver. Two additional concerts, in
1978, featuring Kristen Lems and the Izquierda Ensemble raised
more funds for the first feminist bar in Indianapolis, our beloved
Labyris. The first New Year's Eve Concert and Dance was held
December 31, 1978 at Cathedral High School and featured Teresa
Trull, Therese Edell and Betsy Lippett. We celebrated the purchase of space for a feminist bar that night and for the next three
months, women worked tirelessly renovating the space which
opened in March, 1979.
The Lab was a unique bar/gathering place that provided a
congenial, safe space for many different women. During the five
years of her existence, we enjoyed 156 concerts/events produced
there. Over 40 different performers graced her stage, the names of
which reflect the herstory of women's music and culture- both
nationally and locally. In 1981, Indy's first Take-Back-The-Night
Rally was held at Labyris and continued through the next three
years. Womenposted"MayoralDecrees",printedontheMayor's

February/March 1990

stationery, stating that all men were "prohibited from being on the
streets after dark until the crime of rape is eliminated." This action
resulted in a deluge of phone calls to the media by the concerned
public. The hesbian Discussion Group began at the Lab and
continues to thrive, expanding to twice-monthly meetings in 1989.
In addition to the euchre and pool tournaments, the Women's
Reviews were enjoyed by many.
In the mid- '70s, two groups worked for Lesbian/Gay rights:
the Coalition for Human Rights and the Gay People's Union.
These groups were instrumental in organizing the first state-wide
Gay/Lesbian Conference at the YWCA which was picketed by
fundamentalist groups. In 1977 these groups, along with state
NOW chapters, marched on the Coliseum to protest the views of
Anita Bryant as she appeared there. In 1981, Justice, Inc. was
formed to carry on the political work of these groups.
In addition the "The Touch" and the IWL center, two other
women's centers have been established here. Everywoman's
Center was opened in the mid- '70s to provide supportive services
forwomenandashelterforbatteredwomen. Thiseffortwasshortlived due to lack of funding. The Womankind/Womanspace
Center was open from July, 1981 to March, 1983. The Feminist
Writer's Guild was organized here and various workshops for
women were offered from home-repair to financial planning.
Womankind was a feminist newspaper that published from about
1978 through 1982. / Know You Know, an international monthly
magazine for Lesbians was published in Indianapolis from December, 1984 through December, 1985.
The monthly pitch-ins were revived in September, 1980 and
35 women attended; in October, 50 women attended and they have
continued monthly since then. In September, 1981, Dreams and
Swords, feminist family bookstore, opened in a small room in the
Womankind/Womanspace Center. (Between the closing of The
Touch and the opening of Dreams & Swords, a handful of women
carried crates of books to Labyris on weekends and all events in
order to make women's literature available to the comm unity.) In
March, 1983, Dreams & Swords moved to her current home in
Broad Ripple.
A Lesbian mother's support group met monthly during the
mid- '80s. Lesbians who were not mothers provided child-care in
order to allow moms to be together without the distraction of their
children.
In 1982, the National Women's Music Festival moved to
Bloomington from Champaign, Illinois. Since then we have
continued to organize fund-raising events - auctions, concerts
and dances- to support WIA/NWMF. Branching Out Productions was formed in 1983 and continues to promote women's
culture in music. In the fall of '88, Something's Brewing, a
monthly coffeehouse was inaugurated, and in April of '89,
Lavender Visions came into being!
A glance at the Resources and Bulletin Board sections of L V
reveals our growth as a community- providing support for our
varied needs and interests ... and it all began with a few women
opening up to each other, wanting to right some wrongs, heal some
hurts, and willing to give some service. I hope we think of all of
them and honor the feminist spirit of their efforts as we continue
to create our herstory in the new decade.

February/March 1990

Page 7

LAVENDER VISIONS

THE SUPPORTERS' PAGE
To advertise here, please use the Order Form on the back page or contact us at Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville IN 46077

0Cw4!'.~~

93 south butler ave., suite 3
indianapolis, IN 46219
317/356-4914

Books • Cassettes • Videos • Cards • Classes
Hours: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday- Friday
11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday

codependency and ACOA
counseling

6358 North Guilford Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46220
(317) 255-9907

custom jewellers
gold-silversmiths and lapidaries

-=-PYRAMID

chiropractic

in
antique
alley

Dr. Peg VanDenburgh
Chiropractic Ph\Jsician

janet cullen and carrie foley 812-988-2729
p.o. box 234 nashville, indiana 4?448
closed wed.

---= =-1/ "There ,s

u
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8648 Purdue Road
lndiam1polis. IN 46268
Office Hours:
Monday thru Friday 8-12 & 2-6
24 Hour Emergency Phone
(317) 876-0887

-

- FLOTATION TANKS -

---::

no need to
travel abroad.
A II the world !,es
within you."
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TERESA

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INDIANAPOLIS. IN 46204

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Selection• Installation• Training• Desktop Publishing

Candace L. Shearls
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6360 Guilford
Indianapolis, IN 46220

Page8

LAVENDER VISIONS

February/March 1990

Foremother
continued from page 4

The Woman's Touch was a feminist counseling center and
bookstore that was the hub of the Lesbian feminist community
from 1976-1980. As with all significant gains in history, the
sacrifices were many. Burdened by more care-taking skills than
business acumen, the Woman's Touch sadly closed in July, 1980.
Yet during those four years, "The Touch" was midwife to many
events and organizations - many of which continue to thrive
today. Womanshine Productions and the Gay/Lesbian AA were
born; a woman's newspaper, plays, concerts, women's shelters,
Sister celebration, discussion groups and NOW - all enjoyed
supportandnurturance at The Touch. Feminist therapists received
training and guidance in ways that were unavailable anywhere
else.
And when Joyce's primary partnerof more than 10 years died
prematurely of cancer in 1984, Joyce grieved the double loss of
both Jeanine and The Touch profoundly - as did the entire
Lesbian community.
Joyce is politically a Lesbian. Isolated from the Lesbian
community, she still considers herself woman-identified. She
nurtures herself as a woman by being around other women, talking
to women, being political in the Women's Movement, marching,
writing to congress people, and enjoying other women and their
accomplishments.
Today,Joyce,asnurse/educatorworkingwiththeelderly,and
training nursing-home staff, integrates her political views gently
and subtly in this rural conservative community, by planting seeds
of understanding regarding AIDS and relating pro-choice to our

Living green:
10 Things You Can Do
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Mend and repair, rather than discard and replace.
Invest in well-made, functional clothing.
Buy bulk & unpackaged rather than packaged goods.
Purchase goods in reusable or recyclable containers.
Buy organic, pesticide-free foods.
Buy foods without additives and preservatives.
Use non-toxic pest control.
Compost your food scraps.
Grow your own food (even small kitchen gardens!).
Volunteer to start or help with a community garden.

[Editor's Note: For the next several issues, we will be publishing
ways you can live your ecofeminist values.]

right to die with dignity and to choose what will happen to our
bodies regarding chemotherapy. In this "pro-life" Catholic,
Pentecostal southern Indiana community, Joyce has an opportunity to introduce ideas that many of these folks have never
considered. "I do things in ways that hopefully plant seeds of
knowledge about what life is, what it is to be an individual with
choice and freedom, and that has to do with Lesbianism, with
feminism and pro-choice."
So at 52, Joyce has chosen to come home to her birth home
which provides her not only a vehicle for her work at this time in
her life, but a sense of rootedness and community as well.
As Joyce looks toward the future, she passionately hopes for
passage of the Equal Rights Amendment and the election of a
woman president, while at the same time she worries about
aloneness. What will happen when she's 70 and no longer as
mobile? Will anyone remember this foremother of ours, this
woman who was a founding Board Member of the National
Women's Music Festival?
Sadly, the time had come for me to head up the road.
Reluctantly, Ileft that warm sunny kitchen and I wondered, "How
many women, through the years, have sat in that very kitchen,
drinking coffee together, sharing their stories, dreaming dreams of
equality and remembering?" For Joyce-our own foremotheris indeed living her life uniquely, integrating the strength of those
many strong women in her own herstory and quietly working to
challenge and improve ours.

We invite your creativity!
Lavender Visions invites your participation in the form of
letters, articles, poetry, cartoons, or photography. All material
must be signed; names will be withheld upon request.
All material becomes the property ofLavender Visions and
will be returned only if accompanied by a self-addressed,
stamped envelope. Editors reserve the right to edit for
publication.
The April/May issue will focus on community, in addition
to our regular features.
Send submissions to P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077;
all material must be received 6 weeks before publication.

February/March 1990

Page9

LAVENDER VISIONS

Bulletin Board
Women in the Arts Presents (fund-raising for NWMF):
Women's Dance, Saturday, February 24, 9 PM - 1 AM,
Saengor Chor, 13th & Park. Tickets $4.

Spaghetti Dinner & Dance, Saturday, March 24, Saengor
Chor, 13th & Park. Tickets $9.
Art Exhibit and Sale featuring women artists of Indiana,
Saturday and Sunday, April 21-22, wine and cheese
reception; location to be announced.
Karen Beth in Concert, Friday, April 27, Bloomington.
For information call Carolyn VandeWiele (812) 3394283.
Karen Beth in Concert, Saturday, April 28, Indianapolis.
For information call Mary Byrne (317) 923-5574.
Deb Mullins in Concert, Saturday, May 5, Indianapolis.
For information call Mary Byrne (317) 923-5574.

[For more information about any of the above events, call
Mary Byrne (317) 923-5574.]

"Something's Brewing": "Something's Brewing" Women's
Coffeehouse meets the first Saturday of each month at 7:30
PMat615West43rdStreet(UnitarianUniversalistChurch).
For information about programs, cost and schedule changes,
call (317) 274-2585.
National Women's Music Festival (NWMF), Thursday- Sunday, May 31 - June 3, Bloomington, IN. Here are some of the
featured performers, speakers, writers: May Sarton, Minnie
Brua Pratt, Karla Jay, Kay Leigh Hagan, Rachel Bagby,
Shekinah Mountainwater, Arisika, Nan Brooks & Jane
Winslow, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Adrian Torf, Ferron, Holly
Near, Heather Bishop, Linda Tillery, and Deidre McCalla.
Don't miss it- save some vacation days for these dates!

Please send information about upcoming events for
publication in Bulletin Board to:
Lavender Visions, PO Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077.

THE SUPPORTERS' PAGE
Shipp Construction Company
Mariel Burch, M.S.W.
Clinical Social Worker -

Therapist

3508-A Stellhorn Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46815

Specializing in ...
• Storm Windows, Storm Doors
• Replacement Windows and Doors
• Installation of Siding

Special discount for "family" members
(219) 486-2258

(317)254-9126

Sharon Chrust

MASSAGE
by appointment
Carol Simmons

(317) 252-2404

(317) 252-9285

COUNSELING
Individuals, Couples, Groups, Adolescents

252-9285

Specializing in
Codependency, Self-esteem, and
Sexual & Gender Identity Issues

Page 10

LAVENDER VISIONS

February/March 1990

THE LAVENDER PAGE
To be listed here, please use the Order Form on the back page or contact us at: Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077

ADVERTISING

ENTERTAINMENT

Accent Advertising Co., Inc., 5420 East St. Clair St.,
Indianapolis, IN 46219 ................................ (317) 357-6530

Jane Winslow, Singer/Songwriter/Workshop Presenter,
3416 Brookline Ave. #2, Cincinnati, OH 45220 ................ ..
............................................................... (513) 281-2944

BOOKSTORES/MEDIA
Aquarius Books for a Feminist Future, 116 N. Grant St.,
Bloomington, IN 47402 ............................. (812) 336-0988
Awakening, 6358 N. Guilford Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46220
............................................................... (317) 255-9907
Dreams and Swords., Inc., 828 E 64th St., Indianapolis,
IN 46220 ................................................. (317) 253-9966

CHIROPRACTORS
Pyramid Chiropractic, Peg VanDenburgh, DC, 8648
Purdue Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46268 .............. (317) 876-0887

CONSTRUCTION/HOME IMPROVEMENT
Janco Lock Service, Certified, bonded, insured .............. .
............................................................... (317) 291-1818
Anne Shellabarger, Mooresville, IN ........ (317) 996-2115
Shipp Construction Co . ..... (317) 254-9126 or 252-2404
Sunshine Services ................................ (317) 353-6636

COUNSELING/PERSONAL GROWTH
Courageous Living, Tim Davis, MS, Nancy O'Hara, MS,
CAD AC ................................................... (317) 925-0043

FLORISTS
Flowers Unlimited, 222 E. Market St., Indianapolis, IN
46204 ..................................................... (317) 636-5533
Town and Country Florist of Carmel, 2182 E. 116th
St., Keystone Square Mall, Carmel, IN ......... (317) 846-4221

JEWELLERS
The Brass Ring, Custom jewellers, gold-silversmiths and
lapidaries, Antique Alley, Nashville IN .......... (812) 988-2729

MASSAGE/RELAXATION THERAPY
Freda Neal, Alternatives for Health, 1217 Washington St.,
Columbus, IN .......................................... (812) 376-9194
Serenity Tank Center, 2070 E. 54th St., Suite 2,
Indianapolis, IN 46220 ............................... (317) 251-9992
Maryann Steinhart, 6407 N. Michigan Road, Indianapolis,
IN 46268 ................................................. (317) 257-2350
Sue Wagman, Certified Massage Practitioner, ................. ..
.................................. (317) 283-6607 (H) or 251-9992 (W)
Kay Whitehead, BA, MsT ....................... (317) 924-4557

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Micky Craney, 93 S. Butler Ave., Suite 3, Indianapolis, IN
46219 ..................................................... (317) 356-4914

Mary A. Byrne, Realtor, 1202 N. Pennsylvania,
Indianapolis, IN 46202 .............. (317) 638-1020 or 923-5574

Farrell/Shaw Associates ...................... (317) 283-3623

Haynes Bookkeeping, Tax service specializing in small
business and S-corporations ......................... (317) 293-3190

Mary Gaul, Ed.D., 6360 Guilford, Indianapolis, IN 46220 ...
............................................................... (317) 253-5160

Clara Ann Merkel, French lace making .... (317) 924-4557

Nancy VanArsdall Jones, MA, 6360 Guilford Ave.,
Indianapolis, IN ........................................ (317) 253-5160

Candace L. Shear ls, Computer Consultant ................... .
............................................................... (317) 255-8328

Pat Jordan, MS ....................................... (317) 257-2350

Union Ceremonies and relationship celebrations for Gay
and Lesbian couples. Debra Harless, MDiv .... (317) 924-2028

Margaret Miholick, ACSW ................... (317) 257-8590
June Thompson, ACSW, CADAC ........... (317) 251-7051

ROOMS FOR RENT
Rooms for rent in homes of Lesbians and Gays in
Indianapolis .............................................. (317) 925-0043

i

1

jffIll l~fjjij) 1li ~,,~~lil lili~~111~11~J11d,OK
M 001 111 583

Univl]f

February/March 1990

Pride Week plans underway
"Into the Gay '90s with Pride" will be the theme oflndiana's
1990 Gay/Lesbian Pride Week. With that theme, we will be
showing our pride in public with a Pride Festival on Monument
Circle in Indianapolis.
During the Festival, the Circle will be closed to traffic and we
will fill the center of downtown with organizational and information booths from throughout the state, and with food and beverage
booths. There will be local and national entertainers as well as
local and national speakers to address the crowd.
This type of event will continue the friendly atmosphere of the
picnics held in previous years as well as provide an opportunity for
Gays and Lesbians to increase their political and community
awareness and visibility. Having the event on the Circle will
provide both an educational and enjoyable atmosphere for the
Indianapolis community at large to enjoy the speakers and entertainers.
The Pride Week Committee is now forming. The Committee
will divided into five sub-groups: Logistics, Booths, Entertainment, Publicity, and Financial. Each sub-group will meet regularly to accomplish their tasks and limit the number of large
Committee meetings that will be needed. There are also many
tasks for individuals who do not live in Indianapolis.
[Please contact Ruth Peters for further information: Home: (317)
253-1460; Work: (317) 635-4059.]

Lavender Visions Survey

Page 11

24-hour Hot Line
for
Pro-Choice Action Update
Daily update on Indiana
legislative process regarding
abortion rights. Call to be
informed, to know what you
can do to support a woman's
right to choose control of her
own body.

(317) 283-7131

Bestsellers at Dreams & Swords
fk.wm

Lesbian/Gay

Fried Green Tomatoes
Beverly Malibu
Bingo
Patience & Sarah
Fur Person

Pleasures
Lesbian Bedtime Stories
Lesbian Love Stories
Lesbian Couples
Color of Light: AIDS Meds.

Recovery

We 're sure you've noticed the L VS urvey included in this issue.
Please take the time to respond - we'd love to hear from you.

Courage to Heal
You Can Heal Your Life
Dance of Anger
Victims No Longer
Dance of Intimacy

Thank you,
LV Staff

INFORMATION FORM
I'm excited about Lavender Visions and I'd like to help by:
_ _ selling ads
_ _ writing stories
helping with distribution and sales
Name

---------------------

FEB/MAR 1990

_ _ collating
typing copy
_ _ doing whatever is needed
Day Phone _ _ __

Night Phone _ _ __

Address ___________________ Best times to call: ____________
City ____________________

State _ _ _ _ __ ZIP _ _ _ _ _ _ __

I'd like to see a story about
Send to: Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077.

Page 12

LAVENDER VISIONS

February/March 1990

Darin's Diary
• I had just finished one of those days - nothing had gone
well and my mood reflected my frustration and anger. When I got
home, I discovered my copy of LV had arrived. I sat right down,
without even taldng off my coat, and read it from cover to cover.
It brightened my mood and made my evening so much nicer than
my day.

• As a member of the LV staff, I thought it might be exciting
to pass on to you that we now have over 300 subscribers! We're
so pleased to be reaching so many people. Thank you!

• My sister and I were discussing a mutual friend's recent
breakup with his girlfriend. She asked me, "What did he see in
her? If you were a man, would you see anything in her?" My
answer was, "Well, personal! y, she doesn't interest me, but other
women may find her attractive." We both laughed- how nice it

[Editor's Note: Dorin's Diary is a compilation of descriptions
(provided by our readers) identifying experiences of affirmation,
celebration, consciousness-raising, connection with, and nurturance from other women/Lesbians in the local/global community. SendcontributionstoDorin'sDiary,c/oLavenderVisions.]

is to reference my own sexuality in a casual manner with someone
I love so dearly.

SUBSCRIPTION/ORDER FORM
I want to

FEB/MAR 1990

order a subscription ($8-12, sliding scale) _ _ place a business card ad ($30)
_ _ place a supporter ad ($30 or more)
be listed on the Lavender Page ($5)

Send subscription to: Name _______________________________
Address
Phone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
City _____________________ State _ _ _ _ _ _ ZIP _ _ _ _ __
NOTE:

If you are placing a business card ad, please enclose your card (print ready).
If you are placing a supporter ad, please indicate specific words of support.
If you are placing a Lavender Page listing, please provide listing information.
Make checks payable to Lavender Visions. Send to: Lavender Visions, P.O. Box 321, Zionsville, IN 46077.

~

VISIONS

Survey

Lavender Visions would like your opinions, comments, and suggestions. We'd also like to know you better to serve you better. We
would greatly appreciate it if you would take a few moments to fill out this survey and mail it to Lavender Visions. Thank you!
Are you currently a subscriber to Lavender Visions? Yes _ _ No
Where do you live? State _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

County _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

What is your occupation? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Which of these issues are of interest to you? (check all that apply)
Women's Rights
Spirituality and Peacemaking
Lesbian Rights
Ecofeminism
Abortion
Codependency
Legal Issues - Wills, etc.
Recovery
Homophobia
Self-Help
Other------------------------------------Please describe any specific topics that may interest you to be covered in Lavender Visions. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Indicate which of our articles and features you read regularly. (check all that apply)
Lead Article or Stories
Articles by or about Artists, Writers, etc.
Reviews of Books, Plays, Productions, etc.
We Are Everywhere
Do you use the services of any of our advertisers? Yes__

Dorin' s Diary
Resources
Bulletin Board

No

Have you used the Lavender Visions' advertisers as a reference when looking for a particular service? Yes__ No
Comments or Suggestions: ____________________________________

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Zionsville, IN 46077

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